Forsaken
by lilaya
Summary: A story of Gemma, others and betrayal. It's always been hard for her. but even in hard times she had friends. Now it seems as if they were never on her side. Gemma has been forsaken. What happens now? New life, new love, new problems. ON PERMANENT HIATUS
1. How It Began

_Would anything ever go my way_? I thought as a knock sounded on my door.

"Who is it" I called impatiently as I broke away from Kartik.

"It's me." A quavering little voice answered. It was just Emily. I had nothing to fear. I called her in.

Her face bore a look of contempt as she stepped in. Although I couldn't imagine why, she glowered at Kartik.

"Yes, what is it!" I snapped. I was rather busy at the moment.

"I've only come to say that your grandmother is calling for you in the sitting room"

"Oh, all right," I sighed. "Kartik." He grumbled his disagreement.

"Kartik?" He sighed and slowly removed his hands from beneath my chemise. I strolled past Emily out of the room and went to meet grandmamma.

She was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs. She had an impatient look on her face, but there was something else the too. Something that clearly said _Heavens, Gemma! Why do you look like that!?_

I looked down at myself and realized why. My hair was everywhere, I was slick with sweat and my corset was off. I sighed once again and looked up, ready for her to begin her tirade on my unsightly looks.

* * *

"What are you doing!?" 

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Your job from the Rakshana was simple. Kill the girl and flee."

"Maybe I would have Emily, had you not interrupted" Kartik replied, ice forming on his every word. He then stood, drawing up to his full height, But Emily did not back down. Intimidation did not work on her, at least not when she was as livid as now.\

"You could have still done it!" she replied, her eyes blazing with rage. " You could have done it earlier! But yet you decide to indulge yourself in her body before-"

"And why should I not have enjoyment before she dies? Why should she not be of use to me?"

"Just go – now! She is coming"

He launched himself out the window, followed by Emily's piercing glares. If it had been left up to her, Kartik would never have this job. It was too important for him

Why give it to the traitor? He came back on hands and knees, so what? According to the Rakshana, he was perfectly place for the job. An _intimate relationship_, as close as possible but unbeknownst to her family. If they had just let her do it, things would have been quik, simple and easy. But according to them, she was just a maid._ Just a maid? _ She snorted. She'd show him. Then the doorknob turned.

* * *

_Author's note:_ Ridiculously short, I know. I'm just trying it out. let me know if you like it or not in reviews and i'll try to get another chapter up within the week. A longer one. say good things!! 


	2. Simon

Simon Middleton. Why in the world would Simon Middleton come to call on _me_? I had no desire to look _pretty _for him. But what Grandmama wants, she gets.

I stalked into my room, ignoring Emily. Quickly, I brushed my hair and grabbed my corset.

"Emily, find something suitable for me to wear and lace my corset."

"As you wish" She walked slowly to the closet and snatched something out of it. She then came over and pulled at my corset strings. _More like yanked! Ouch!_

However, I had other things to worry about. Simon Middleton and I could only be in the same room for so long before things went amiss.

* * *

"Good evening, Mr. Middleton," I said stiffly. 

"And good evening to you Miss Doyle" Grandmama looked positively delighted. If I was to marry Simon, as she still hoped, the Doyle's would be at the height of society. The fact that he looked that good didn't help me any._Stop it Gemma. You cannot think such thoughts about him._

"May I take you on a stroll around the garden, Miss Doyle?" The nerve of him! He knew perfectly well that I could not refuse him with my grandmother in attendance.

"Yes, you may" He took my arm in his and we set off into the garden. He knew it couldn't work. He had to. After what he had done. After the absinthe.

"Gemma?" I remained silent.

"Gemma, look at me"_Why should I? Its not as if I did anything wrong._

"Please Gemma. Please" I heard his voice crack, the note of pleading in it. I took pity on him and looked up. I rose and eyebrow.

"Yes," I drawled. I had not time for crap and I figured that I'd let him know. He sighed.

"Gemma, will you_ please _listen?" I could tell his patience was wearing thin. Oh, wait a minute. Why did I care?

"I know this does not seem important but you were invited to dinner in a week's time"

"Me?" I gaped at him. "Friday evening?"

"Not just you- the Doyle family." He paused as I narrowed my eyes at him. "It was not my doing. I was against it, but mother insisted. I thought I'd let you know before I told your grandmother. Wouldn't want you causing a scene in the parlor." I tried to suppress my smile but did not succeed.

"Aha, Miss Doyle!" I see a smile! Would you like to sit on this bench I have come across?"

"Why of course, Mr. Middleton! I'd be delighted!" With a swish of my skirts, I sat, giggling all the while.

Maybe he wasn't so bad. Maybe we could get along. As friends, however. Wouldn't want grandmama to get the wrong idea. She has her mind set on us getting married. I'm sure she'll be expecting to see a ring after this very walk.

"Gemma," I was interrupted from my thoughts.

"I just wanted to apologize for that…incident last winter. I regret my actions toward you that night." Oh! So he regrets kissing me and my neck! I feel much better now!

"Really?" I replied dryly. "Well, I don't know how forgiving I feel about that just yet."

"I truly am sorry, Gemma. I just wanted you to know that." His voice was almost a whisper, and he was looking directly into my eyes. Those beautiful eyes of his, framed by those perfect lashes that only add to the wonder of his marvelous features…

I mentally slapped myself. _ Gemma, stop it now!_ His eyes were piercing mine. It was almost as if he could see through me. It was I who broke the moment. I just couldn't look into his eyes any longer.

I looked further down. _ No, Gemma. That's even worse._ I just let my gaze sink to the floor.

"Well, I suppose it is time for us to get back to the house."

"Yes," I replied. "I suppose so."

* * *

It was evening when Simon left. Grandmama had sown obvious disappointment at my lack of an engagement. 

I walked him to the door.

"Good night, Simon."

"Good night, Gemma." He said softly, trying to hold me with his gaze. I looked anywhere but his face and closed the door.

"Grandmama, I am quite tired from my walk this evening," I added a yawn for effect. "I think I shall retire early."

"Goodnight."

I ascended the stairs to my room and put on my nightgown. I lay awake for a while, just trying to think. I couldn't clear my head, and I knew why. Simon. Why did he have to look so good and act so sweetly when I was trying to be angry with him? I sat up. There was only one way to get my mind off of Simon. I slipped on my dressing gown. That way was Kartik.

* * *

I sat on my windowsill and began the descent down the trellis. I headed to the carriage house, near the stables. 

"Kartik?" I whispered into the night. "Kartik?"

I rounded the corner and was met with nothing, absolutely nothing. My face fell as I headed back to my room to fruitlessly attempt sleep.

* * *

He stood before the leaders of the Rakshana. 

"You know what was to be done if you were to be accepted and rise in our ranks."

"Yes, my lords."

"And you understand that this was to be done swiftly."

"Yes, my lords."

"Then why has it not been done?"

"I am sorry my lords. It was inexcusable and I am willing to accept your punishment." To bewilderment, the leader of leaders began to laugh.

"I have heard your reasons and do not wish to inflict punishment."

"Pardon, lord?

"If you need to have a girl that urgently, you may have Emily. Women have no place in the ranks of the Rakshana. Take her. I will have it arranged for her to be placed in a room for your enjoyment when you leave. But do not delay the destruction of the order any longer. Gemma must die.

* * *

_**Author's notes:**_

I finished chapter 2! And it's over a thousand words! Love it? Hate It? I want opinions people. I am thoroughly disappointed in the lack of reviews. Write some now! I'm making this up as I go along but have no fear! I have a plan. Well it's more of a guideline really…but you get the point.

**Luneress**- you rock. As my first reviewer I'm trying my hardest to send you a cookie through telepathy….well, maybe it won't work. It's the thought that counts, right?

**Penopeni- **I really love that you wanted more. Trying again…cookie…ahh…not working…sigh….well, I tried.


	3. Plans

**So sorry this took so long but a tropical storm passed through here – nothing serious, but I was using the time to catch up on my homework…still not finished actually, but anyway enjoy!**

He approached the door of the room. He paused with his hand on the doorknob. Would it be worth it? He smiled. Even so, did he dare? He smirked and turned the knob. Emily awaited…

* * *

I knew what I could do to brighten this hopeless morning. _Did I really need Kartik that badly? _I'd go and visit Felicity. Yes, that's what I'd do. I sat up in bed. 

I'd have to wait a while. I was an early bird and she was more of a night owl. What would I do to pass the time? Why, torture my brother, of course! Tom and Felicity did not wake at anything even resembling early.

I crept out of my room, for not only did I need to be quiet in my approach but grandmama would murder me for being in my brother's room with only a nightgown and my just-out-of-bed hairstyle.

The closer I got to everyone else's rooms, the more did I realize that I had no need to be quiet. Tom was snoring. Father was snoring. Even grandmama was snoring. And not just any snoring. They were sawing down trees. I'd have to tell them about that or I'd soon go deaf.

I slipped into his room. I smiled. He was sleeping like a baby. Then I pounced. For my own amusement's sake I hoped that he was still ticklish. He was. Both mine and his feminine squeals could be heard throughout the house.

"Gemma!" he gasped.

"Stop!" I grinned at him and continued with my torture. It was so much fun to se my older brother squirm. I laughed to myself.

"Gemma!" I stopped. That wasn't Tom. _Oh crap!_ I forgot that someone else might have been woken by the all the noise we were making. I racked my brain for an explanation.

"Father, I…erm…I was simply going to ask Tom if he's seen...Emily." I finished lamely. He sees right through me, but stops to scratch his chin.

"Come to think of it, I didn't see Emily last night, or hear her cleaning up this morning."

"That's odd." Tom finally caught his breath. "I wonder where she could be?"

_That is odd. I wonder…_

* * *

"I'm going to get you for this." 

"Now, now Emily. Let's not be hasty." He leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Who said that you are ever going to get out of here to find me?"

She almost laughed in his face. That was the problem with the Rakshana. They always underestimated women. Kartik would pay.

She smirked at his back as he left the room. Oh yes, he would pay for what he did to her.

* * *

"Tom, hurry up! I want to get to Miss Worthington's by noon." 

"All right already! I'm here!"

"Finally!" I walked out of the door.

* * *

"Fee!" 

"Gemma!"

"I've missed you!" I spun around. "Tom you can leave now. I'll find my way home soon enough." I sighed as he finally departed and Felicity escorted me into her house. Her parents were somewhere in France or Scotland or Italy. What was important was that they weren't there.

"The Middleton's invited us for dinner on Friday evening."

"How dreadful!"

"His parents and grandmamma are impossible. All they want us to do is get married and I'm sick of playing along"

"Well then, how about on Friday you play your own game." She grinned wickedly. As she yanked me off of the sofa and up the stairs by my arm, I could only imagine what she was plotting. She opened the closet door and pulled out three dresses. Now I knew what she was thinking.

"Fee, I can't!" The dresses were absolutely scandalous!

"Oh yes you can Gemma." She pointed to the dresses. "Now choose one."

One was emerald green and had one of the lowest necklines I had ever seen. Another was midnight blue and actually came above the knees. The last was black and looked so tight that I'd have to cut it to be able to fit in it.

"Fee…you can not be serious." Did she actually expect me to wear one of these?

"Choose or I'll choose for you." Well either way grandmama would murder me so…

"Just pick for me." She picked up the emerald green one and handed it to me.

"It brings out your eyes." She said innocently. Great, now I'd look like a harlot.

"Goodbye now Gemma. You must go home and try on your pretty dress." I almost wanted to smack the smile off of her face. I had to admit though,no one would even consider marriage after that. If I was lucky.

* * *

_Foolish men,_ she thought as she withdrew her knives from her skirt. _ They thought that they could hold me?_

She crept down the hallway, readying herself for anyone that might come her way. Shadows were coming around the corner. She paused and took aim at the only thing in her way of freedom. _Plunk, plunk._ They dropped, not even enough warning to make a noise.

_They're good at killing, _she thought as she escaped into daylight. _I'm better._

* * *

**Finally it took forever. I put a history project aside for this so leave reviews now. Emily's a murderer. Really I did not plan that but it seemed to work out.**

**Oh if you don't know a harlot is a prostitute.**

**I'm working hard at this, people- so I'll say it again. Please leave reviews. **

**And tell me what you think of evil Kartik and Emily and whether or not you think Fee and/or Tom should be too. Remember, this is Forsaken. **

**Happy belated Halloween. And Happy All Saint's Day.**


	4. Slaps

**I know, I know. I took forever, but I have not done anything but homework for the last two weeks and I have exams in the next two. But anyway Enjoy**

* * *

"Gemma" I am so tired of hearing her voice chastise me for every move I make.

"Gemma," I don't know how she expects me to hear her anyway. After all, _Ladies do not raise their voices._

"Gemma," Maybe if I ignore her, she'll go away.

"Gemma" _Oh crap._ She was sitting on the edge of my bed. It would have been almost motherly if it wasn't for the scowl that I knew was on her face.

_Should I? Well it was worth a try._

"Grandmamma? I don't feel well." I said as hoarsely as I could manage.

"Nonsense, you feel just fine" She tried to sound cheery, but I heard the impatience in her voice.

"You don't look well, but then again, you never do." She yanked the quilt off of me and walked out of the room.

I narrowed my eyes at her back. Then I sighed. Even if she wouldn't touch me, she still found a way to slap me.

I had to get ready. We couldn't be late. After all, we were invited to _Lord and Lady Denby's _for dinner.

* * *

She watched him from dark corners and alleyways, smiling all the while. For what would he do, what could he do, if she was to turn against him?

She knew where he was going, and it was there that she awaited him. She slipped behind him as he walked through the doorway. She closed the door and leaned against it.

"Hello, Kartik" She smirked.

"Miss me?" It was such a pleasure for her to see the shock that crossed his face before it slipped back into that usual smug mask.

"Emily." He said. "What a pleasure to see you again. The Rakshana couldn't hold you, could they?" At least he had the common sense no to underestimate me, but flattery would get him nowhere.

"So you were expecting me?" She didn't believe him. She took a few steps toward him, to look into his face. She had to find out if he could possibly be serious.

"Of course." She wanted to slap that look right off of his face, but that would not do for now. There were other plans to be put into action.

"There are some things that we need to discuss, however." It was now his turn to slip behind her and lean against the door. She thought that it was fine for him to think that he was in control. It would only help her along. He leered at her. _Wait a minute, can he be serious?_

"Kartik, before we proceed, I think that you had better know how I got out" She reached into her skirt.

"Do you see this knife? I have quite a few of them. The guards had rather unpleasant deaths." She ran her finger down the blade, looking pointedly at him.

"I'm sure that you wouldn't like to experience it." His glance shifted from Emily to the blade, and back. He looked as if he had just been slapped. She grinned to herself.

"Now what were you saying about a discussion?"

* * *

It was not fun to get myself dressed. I couldn't fathom where Emily could possibly be.

I really hoped that Felicity was right about this dress. I felt so exposed, no, more like a harlot. What was I thinking? _I was thinking that the look on grandmamma's face would be worth it._ I grinned to myself. Maybe it would be. I'd have to make an entrance, though.

"Gemma?" Tom knocked on my door.

"Everyone's waiting for you."

"I'm coming right now Tom."

"All right, then" I listened to him go down the stairs. This was going to be fun. I descended the staircase like a queen, a contented smile on my face.

I looked first at my father (who wasn't paying attention, as usual, so that was a waste); then at Tom, who had to be thinking something along the lines of "Good God! My sister can not be seen in public like that, can she?

Grandmamma, I saved her for last. Seemed like I didn't have to hit her to slap her back.

"Come on, everyone. No time to stare. Tom, is the carriage out there?" Dumbfounded, he could only nod.

"Well then, let's go." Anyone who looked at me could see the immense satisfaction on my face. I could only hope that it would last throughout dinner. Being civil around Simon was not my area of expertise.

* * *

_**Authors Notes:**_** So did you like it? Can't wait for more? Then leave a review!**

**I working very hard on this story and I want opinions and ideas. If you have input let me know. I **_**want **_**to know.**

**So what happens when Lord and Lady Denby invite Gemma and her family for dinner?**

**I have no idea! But I will soon. It shouldn't take as long as last time, but I'm warning you, I have a book stall at a fair next Saturday. I'm booked from now until then. I don't know how I'm going to get anything done. Sigh…that's beside the point. Leave reviews!**


	5. Dinner pt1:Yes

I know I took forever again but I do try. I hate exams!

"Good evening, Lord Denby, Lady Denby" I smiled and curtsied politely.

"I'd like to thank you for so graciously inviting us into you home." I stopped mid-curtsey. Grandmamma always had to show me up.

"Why, Gemma is something wrong?" I suddenly remembered the awkward position I was in.

"Erm…no Tom. I was merely admiring the lovely…floor. It's such a beautiful pattern! Did you choose it yourself, Lady Denby?" I recovered easily. Idle chatter was always a distraction. She and Grandmamma had no real problems to worry about. Lord Denby led us into the parlor to talk while we waited for the servants to finish preparing dinner.

My mouth answered all the questions directed at me, but my mind was somewhere else. I hadn't visited the realms lately. Actually, Kartik had warned me against it, and I trusted him. I trusted him with my life.

There aren't many people in the world that would understand that whole I'm the High Priestess of the order and I control the realms. And I needed someone to trust and understand. Kartik was trying to protect me. I had to be honest, he knew more about the realms than I did.

_I should really go back to visit Felicity. She must be feeling so ignored because I spend so much of my time with Kartik…_

* * *

Kartik was so easy to manipulate. It was a surprise that he hadn't figured it out yet. All she had to do was plant a few ideas in his head and he would be out of the way. What would the Rakshana do when she had their precious little priestess and they couldn't do a thing about it.

She sat in the chair, allowing the privilege of sitting on the table. _Why not allow him the illusion of power before it is all stripped away?_ Her lips turned up for a fraction of a second, not long enough for him to notice. Her fingers twitched in anticipation, but she could not allow them to strike with the blade just yet…

* * *

"Gemma, what an…interesting dress you're wearing this evening."

"I'm glad that you like it." Here's my chance to irk them. "Its one of my favourites."

Right then, both Lord and Lady Denby appeared to choke on pure air. I grinned nefariously.

"Is something wrong?" I tried to hide my laughter.

"No, nothing at all." Lord Denby finally caught his breath.

I pretended to look concerned.

"That's odd…what an interesting phenomenon. Whatever could be the cause of it?"

Tom looked pointedly at me and I raised my eyebrows, feigning innocence.

"Sorry, I'm late everyone, but one of the wheels on the carriage broke. My apologies to Miss Doyle and her family."

Grandmamma had her mouth open to respond, but I cut her off.

"It's quite all right. We accept your apologies Mr. Middleton"

"I' would also like to ask you to follow me to the dining room, as I was informed that dinner will now be served." The picture of etiquette, Simon allowed everyone to pass through the doorway. Everyone, that is, but me.

"Mother, father, I am going to escort Gemma to the Library, for it is quiet in there. She is not feeling well. Perhaps it is best that she not eat? I will stay with her."

"Yes, of course, Simon. Mr. Doyle?"

"Yes, yes, if she is not feeling well." For all I knew, Simon was leading me to my death and all they could say was "yes". I thought that they cared about me.

Halfway up the staircase where they could no longer see us, Simon leaned over to whisper in my ear.

"I have something to tell you, but I think that it is best if our families do not know." Only because I was balancing precariously on the staircase in my shoes did I allow him to lead me. Down the hall and to the library did we go, where, at the very back, were two chairs in which we sat.

"What is this about Simon."

"It's about the Order. I know about the realms."

* * *

_**Author's Notes:**__26__th__ November, 2007_

Well! How's that for a cliffhanger. It's just where the story ended up. I surprised myself when I wrote it. I'm just saying…leave reviews, tell your friends because this is getting ridiculous. I know that people have read this but I don't get the reviews to show it.

Sorry its so short but I wanted to put in what I could. I'm trying to update as often as I can bu time is scarce.

Thanks to luneress and SNikorasu, my faithful reviewers.

**Remember, I do want your input on the story. So give it to me! In a review! Please and thank you.**


	6. Dinner pt2: In A Daze

**So, did everyone like the ending? I think that I'm actually updating this story within a week of the last story. Everyone should send me a telepathic cookie for that!**

"It's about the Order. I know about the realms."

It's amazing just how few words it can take to send you spiraling into shock. I envisioned my world shattering. Its pieces were falling on me. Broken glass further damaging the only shreds of sanity I had left within me.

It wasn't possible. He couldn't possibly know- but yet he did. My palms were sweating, my eyes out of focus, the room spinning around me. All the result of me visualizing all that he could do with that scrap of information. What else did he know? Who told him? _Who had betrayed me?_

* * *

She'd get her. She'd kill her. She couldn't get close enough, though. Surely Gemma's family would be suspicious of her absence. She had no legitimate reason. Why else would she keep Kartik around?

She could just as easily sneak into her room- so why send him? _Because it was a way to get rid of him and his ticket into the Rakshana._ All she had to do was to point him in the right direction. The perfect plan formed in her head.

* * *

Paralyzed. That's what I had become. While my mind was racing, I was powerless to control my body. I felt myself tipping over in the chair and yet I cold do nothing to stop it. My entire being was consumed with the weight of those mere five words that he had spoken. "I know about the realms."

I knew the precariousness of the angle at which I was now perched on the chair. The slightest breeze would push me over the edge.

My mouth, miraculously, managed to speak.

"Who told you?" Even I could hear the defeat in my voice, so there was no doubt that he also heard it. But what could I do about it. He was no doubt planning to black mail me with what he knew- even if he could only send me to insane asylum. All thanks to the delightfully exposed dress I was wearing, I was probably going to be raped. Who would believe me one he gave them evidence that I was crazy? My world slowly started to come back into focus

"I was sleeping in my room two or three nights ago, when it was like she just appeared. Of course, I wouldn't know the difference, seeing as I was asleep, but-"

"Who?"

" I was really quite frightened seeing as she had to have broken into the house and how would I help myself if she was capable of that- this was actually the night after I spoke with you in the garden and I was really quite upset-"

"_Who?_"

"Then she said that she had something to tell me, which would undoubtedly make you like me again. I jumped at the chance. It was silly in hindsight, but I'm quite stupid in the middle of the night. Mother always said that at night my common sense runs away, only to return in the morning, so-"

"_Who?" _If he did not stop his babbling, a head would roll and it surely would not be mine.

He looked up at me, hesitant to say anything else. A long moment passed before he finally decided to speak. I looked like it broke his heart to say anything, or he was afraid to break mine.

"Felicity. Felicity told me."

Once again, everything started spin. Colours blended together. The only thing that I could see clearly was Simon's face. I stood and walked over to him, to look into his eyes.

"Are you sure?" My voice was barely more than a whisper

"It really was Felicity." I staggered backward, those words more effective than a physical blow.

"Fee? It can't be. She wouldn't do that. Not Fee."

"I'm sorry Gemma. I hate to tell you, but it was." _How could she do it to me? How? _

"Gemma? Gemma!" His voice echoed in my head as I crumpled onto the floor.

* * *

"Kartik, this is how you will lead her away. It should work if she really does love you"

"And you're sure about this?" About fifty percent. Close enough.

"Just tell her that you want her to run away with you. She comes; you lead her here and finish the job. Plain and simple."

"I'll be back soon, the family should be asleep now."

"Don't worry, just take your time." She smirked when he had left. Either way, this worked out for her. He succeeds; he kills the girl; she kills him. If he fails; she kills him and then the girl. She gets the credit both ways and both ways the people that she loathed the most in the world, would be dead. _Plain and simple._

* * *

"Gemma? Gemma are you okay?" I opened my eyes, but everything seemed to be coming through a haze.

"Mmph?"

"I think something's wrong, we were talking when she just dropped. I think you'd better take her home."

"Thank you for bringing her down here Simon. We'll take it from here." I drifted back into the darkness which seemed so becoming as compared to what I'd have to think about without it.

I was wide awake with only the darkness and my thoughts. One question burned on my mind:_What now?_

"Gemma?"

"Kartik?" His familiar frame climbed through my window.

"I haven't seen you in a week! How are you? Where have you been?"

"We'll come to that later." He looked straight into my eyes. " Gemma? You love me, don't you?"

"Of course I do Kartik." I couldn't fathom why he was asking me such a silly question.

"Then run away with me." This was just too much for one night. My brain had already crashed from what had happened and here he was asking me a question that would require massive amounts of brain power.

"What?" The one thing that my brain could tell me was that it was a bad idea. He couldn't possibly be serious. If he was…

"Really, Gemma. I want you to come with me" So he was serious.

"Kartik, I'm sorry, but no. If you are asking me to choose between my family and my friends- friend- and you. Then I'm going to have to say no."

"But why?"

"Because if you really loved me, you wouldn't have asked me that question." It almost broke my heart to see the pained look on his face before he turned away to the window once again. But I couldn't do it. He was going to have to go where he was going without me. I had two people close to me go astray. I so badly wanted to fix that problem. The thing was, I couldn't do anything about it.

* * *

_**Author's Notes:**__2nd December, 2007_

I did it, over 1000 words too! How do you like the betrayal and spinning rooms? I just did it on a whim,

Is anyone starting to get _Forsaken_? I hope you like it

And if you did LEAVE A REVIEW!

I mean it! It is so weird. I have been sitting at this computer for forever and a day writing this for your enjoyment. So please tell me just how much you enjoyed it okay?


	7. What?

**Is anyone wondering what happened to felicity? Why she's gone over to the dark side? Read and I'll shed some light on the topic. Have fun!**

She stretched luxuriously on the soft, warm, green grass that seemed to cover the realms. She was only to be there for a moment, however. Absyrtus was to meet her soon. She had done everything that he asked Soon she would be able to enter the realms alone.

* * *

Kartik took the long way to meet Emily, mentally kicking himself every step of the way. He was no stranger to her fury and he found that he preferred not to the object of her rage.

His options were to face Emily now and have a chance or to be awoken one night by a rather large knife protruding from him chest. He sighed. _He__may be simple at times, but he was not stupid._

* * *

_What am I to do on a night as lonely as this?_ I felt hollow. I had a long lingering emptiness inside of me. The two people that I thought I could trust the most had forsaken me. What was I to do without them? It's not as though I had any real friends. I had only people that knew the public me. _Perfect Gemma._ As far as they were concerned, I lived in a happy little bubble where nothing ever bothered me. No one understood. I'd spend the night at the place that formed a barrier between the rest of the world and me.

* * *

"Absyrtus! What took so long? You said that you would be right back." Felicity tried to mask her impatience.

"I was…making sure that everything was in place so that you would soon have your magic."

"Where's your sister?" Felicity said this with a little hope in her voice.

"Medea? She's should be back from Aeaea in a moment. In fact, she should be here now."

"Oh..."

* * *

I reached out to the long forgotten door of light, happy to see its blazing whiteness once more.

Through it, the realms were the same, the one thing in my life that seemed to be so.

"I am the protector of these realms. Speak your name." I spun around to face someone completely unknown to me. Why was she in the realms?

"I am Gemma. The question here is: _Who are you?" _She was not supposed to be here and _she_ was asking _me_ who _I_ was?

"I am Medea, the High Priestess of the Order." I gaped at her. Had she lost her mind?

"Excuse me. I think that you must be confused. I am the High Priestess. So let's try this again." I had to speak slowly because obviously, she wasn't in her senses.

"Who. Are. You?"

"Fine. You dragged it out of me. I'm an angel." Okay, Really. Did she think that I was deaf to her sarcasm? I needed to correct the situation.

"Listen. I am in charge here, so do not use that sarcasm with me. I am not stupid. I see no glowing aura, no wings. So why don't you just get out of my way?" I wondered if I could make people go away in the realms. Murder would be so easy to get away with in the realms. Who could prove it? Maybe I could drown her in the river and feed her to the gorgon…

* * *

Kartik had to plot his way out of the situation, and he was plotting up until the very doorstep of where he had left Emily. There was only one way out of this, without committing murder that was. Murder seemed to be the easiest way out. But a body could be traced back to him.

Inside, he could hear his heart beating, marking each moment of time that went by. His mouth formed words to tell Emily what had had happened, but his mind was on escape mode. He watched her face become more and more livid. He was ready when she lunged forward, her knives appearing out of nowhere.

He had anticipated her movement perfectly. A simple step to the side sent Emily crashing into the wall and left her disoriented for a few moments. Exactly what he needed. His fist to her head and it was done. She now lay on the floor, unmoving.

He picked her up and went outside, where he proceeded to hire a cab. On the way he was elated, a feeling so foreign to him that he had to ponder what is was. He would be rid of rid of her! Life would be so much simpler.

A smile graced his features as he saw the building that would free him: Bethlem.

* * *

"_What do you mean you can't do it yet?"_

"It's simple. I just have some things that my aunt left for me to do." Absyrtus explained this as if he were speaking to a child.

Felicity picked up a rock and threw it at him, her accuracy stopped only by the magic. She turned her back on him. Looking at her face, you could almost see the steam coming out her ears. She had been waiting long enough! And here he was telling her that it wasn't time yet?

The steam died down as common sense kicked in. Circe was not a person to defy, dead or alive. He did have a good reason. _Don't, forget: without him you'll forever be normal, an average person. That is beneath you._

With a sigh, felicity turned back around and muttered an apology.

"Good," he replied. "Now we must wait for Medea before we can go to the isle of Aeaea."

"Whatever…"

* * *

"Seriously, get out of my way." I did not need this crap in the middle of the night.

"Or you know what? I'll just leave. I'm tired, I'm upset and arguing with you is not helping. So, I'm just going to leave." I watched everything else disappear as the door of light appeared. Then I thought about something.

"Just remember: I won this fight" For my satisfaction only, I yelled and hoped that she had heard me. I closed the door behind me.

_That little witch._

* * *

"Excuse me." The woman sitting at the desk looked up, quite surprised to see Kartik.

"Yes, how may I help you?"

"I found her babbling on the streets. She was saying something about the Order and the Rakshana and magic…I am of no relation to her. Could she be admitted here?" For Kartik, this was it, his last moment of hope.

"Yes, of course! I need a name and all that you know about her." A great weight was lifted from his shoulders.

"Well, she seems to have an astonishing number of knives about her person…"

* * *

_**Author's Notes:**__ 8__th__ December, 2007_

**Does the story seem to be taking a different direction to you? That's because it is. I just hope you like it. **

**A little background info if you're lost. In Greek mythology Circe was an enchantress that killed everyone that came near her island of Aeaea. Everyone except her nephew and niece, Absyrtus and Medea (who was also a witch) so that's where the names and idea came from.**

_**Snaffle!**_** I'm mad at you. You read my story and do not leave me any reviews. How do I know that? Magic! **

**Anyway, just remember that I love reviews and I do not like it if you read it and don't leave one so please do. **

**Just a reminders: My birthday is on the 24****th**** December (hint hint) I like telepathic cookies and cake and (koff koff) presents.**


	8. Felicity's Story

**Sorry. I kind of took a while to get some inspiration. This whole chapter is sort of a flashback/background info thing. I'm trying to clear up some mysteries from the last chapter.**

Circe would not be defeated. It is what everyone should have known. Years and years of searching had lead her to find a way to commit her dastardly deed from her imprisonment in the well.

She was imprisoned by the well. By Gemma's bindings. _By the water itself._

_The water of the Realms._

It ran through her.

She ran through it.

Every drop of water.

It did not stay in the well for long. It ran through the realms endlessly. There's a certain power that she holds over it. A strange, mysterious power unlike any other. It was particularly strong around her island of Aeaea

While submerged in the water of the realms, those whom she wishes may hear her voice.

Or, she may turn the ice clutches of the water against them. They would be forever drowning.

The realms are an odd place. Death did not always happen as it should.

They would be trapped. Awake. _Forever drowning._

It came to be that the waters even passed throughout the Winterlands, where her niece, Medea, dwelt. She had committed a horrible deed and had forbidden herself from crossing over, becoming a creature of the Winterlands. She had killed her brother, cut him into pieces and threw him in the ocean. Absyrtus had never forgiven her, and she carried it on her back like a burden.

It seemed that one day, any wind that came by carried her along with it. She ended up in the river, where she heard a voice that she had not heard for many millennia. Circe.

The river washed her upon the shores of the island of Aeaea, where Absyrtus roamed and raged, turned bitter, by the mere memory of his death all those years ago.

Medea, out of the Winterlands and back as a woman, spoke what she had been told to Absyrtus.

To follow through with Circe's plan, they would need someone on earth, someone close to Gemma. Someone who could make sue that she had no friend left who knew about the realms. Without an opinion, Gemma would never figure out the plan. She could be quite naïve at times. With the power to leave and return to the realms as they pleased given to the siblings, all was forgotten in the midst of their aunt's plot.

Felicity was the best choice. Ann was not even in contact with the girl. Kartik and the Rakshana were already betraying her and her family had no inkling of what was going on. That was it, there was no other alive that they would have to worry about.

Absyrtus went to talk to her, for she was one of those that could easily be swayed by a male face

It took a few smiles, a few shifts closer and many compliments to convince Felicity that really this was the best way to go. She'd only have to forsake Gemma to be able to look at Absyrtus more often, who, with the face of an angel and the body of a Greek god, was convincing in himself.

He led her into the realms, to Aeaea, where she was led into the river. Circe's voice set at just the right tone, combined with the sereneness of the water pushing her to and fro, set her mind in stone that she was not on Gemma's side any longer.

Plans were made and options discussed before she was carried back to her room in the middle of the night to do her part. They were watching and would get her when the time was right.

* * *

The next day, she sent a message to Simon, telling him that she would meet him on Regent Street the following afternoon at 5 'o clock sharp. 

He did find her there, having pondered all day long what she could possibly want.

"Wonderful day to have a cream puff, don't you think Simon?"

"What's this all about, Miss Worthington?" He questioned. "I don't have much time."

She grinned at him, on the verge of baring her teeth. "Oh, but I know. Perhaps if you were to find us a way to the park, I may tell you." Exasperated, he did as he was told and hailed a cab.

She started at a leisurely pace to walk along the edge of the park.

"Miss Worthington, I'm sorry, but I have to be at home to greet Gemma."

"Ah, yes. _Gemma_." She drawled. "Dear little Gemma. I think that there is something that you may want to know about your darling Gemma."

He sighed. "Yes, what is it."

"It's a rather long story, so I suggest we find a seat."

"Very well"

* * *

Simon decided to walk home. He had a lot on his mind. Should he believe what Felicity had told him? 

No! All that foolishness about the realms and the order could not be true, but yet, what reason did Felicity have to lie to him?

Would Gemma really keep that a secret? Would she be able to? Was that why she had refused him? What was he to do at dinner tonight? Pretend that everything was normal? A different question came to mind by the second. This would be a very long night.

* * *

That evening, Absyrtus spoke to Felicity in her room. 

"You have done what we asked?"

* * *

"Of course, Absyrtus." 

"Then I will be back for you tonight. We will discuss our plans then. He did not wait for a reply.

He reached out for the door. There was a door of darkness

Never a door of light.

_Only a door of darkness._

* * *

_**Author's Notes:**__16__th__ December, 2007_

**I hope that I cleared up the last chapter, because I guess you may have been a little lost. **

**I don't have much to say except that I would really like some reviews for my hard work and dedication. I actually try to update this as often as I can.**

**And just reminding you. I want lots of telepathic cake, cookies, presents and reviews on my birthday. It's on the 24****th**** December (and my name is Noelle, **_**how odd is that?**_**) So I hope you like the story so far, and if you do, please tell me!**


	9. Decisions

**I never imagined that I'd get writer's block so easily. I've been trying to write this chapter for the past five days! Anyway- its here so enjoy!**

_Gemma, _

_I need to speak with you. A hansom will be waiting for you out side your home shortly after noon. You will also find a separate letter enclosed, invite your family to dinner once again, tomorrow evening._

_Simon_

Well isn't that just wonderful! Simon wants to meet me in secret and I get to endure idle chatter with his parents once again. My dreams come true. _Just wonderful._

I looked at the letter in my hands. By the way it had just mysteriously appeared on m y bed, I had some hope that it was from Kartik, but it wasn't. It was a letter of death. Tomorrow I actually had to spend time alone with Simon.

I didn't want to, but how else would I find out what I needed to know? I needed to talk to him. But did it have to be so secretive? I really had to be more careful about who I trusted. _But how do you know that you can't trust him? He hasn't sent you to Bethlem yet._

I had to remind myself of what was important. _But what was that? _I had no idea anymore.

I looked to the sky, hopping it would provide me with some answers.

* * *

"You have to believe me! He was just trying to get rid of me." They had to believe her. She was perfectly sane and did not belong in this…this madhouse. 

She didn't understand it. How did she even allow this to happen? She shouldn't have let her guard down for one moment. That simpleton was really not a simpleton at all.

This rather rotund nurse clearly did not understand. She had to leave.

"Miss…whatever your name may be, I really must go."

"Come now; just lay down on this pretty bed." She glared at the woman, but realized that she could do with a nap, so she got into the bed, expecting the nurse to leave. Instead, she picked up the two straps and buckled them over Emily's ankles.

"What do you think you're doing?" If that nurse answered in the same sickly sweet voice again, Emily would have to throttle her.

"I'm just trying to make sure that you don't fall out of your pretty little bed."_That's it._

Emily had the straps undone in a matter of seconds, intent on escaping from the brightly coloured room.

As she ran through the doorway, she threw her head back and laughed. It was just so ridiculous that anyone thought that they could hold her.

That is when she ran into two quite burly men. She was picked up and carried back to her room where she was held down and strapped into the bed.

_This isn't happening. It can't be happening_

All present in the room were rather concerned at how much she was still able to move in the bed. The sweet, corpulent nurse, reached into a drawer. She brought out a large needle, which she promptly stuck into Emily's arm.

As the room got dimmer and dimmer, Emily refused to believe it.

_Denial can be a very nice place._

* * *

"Grandmama," I put my best honey coated voice on. "Mr. Middleton has invited us to dinner tomorrow night and I would like to purchase a dress with Felicity Worthington." 

I watched the flash of doubt cross her face.

"She really would like to make amends for the last dress she helped me to choose and insisted on buying me one today."

"Well, I suppose so. If she insists…" It's just like Grandmama to pretend that she doesn't want me to be seen with Admiral Worthington's daughter. If it were true, she'd still be more eager than I.

"She said that she is sending a hansom cab for me at noon. I must go and prepare myself. Would you mind terribly if I asked you to lace my corset for me?"

"Why don't you have Emi- oh, yes. She's not here. Well, I suppose that I will have to do it…"

_Did I not just say that?_

* * *

"Sir, could you possibly tell me where you are taking me?" 

"I'm sorry miss, but Mr. Middleton said that you're not to know until you get there."

I sighed and leaned back in my seat. This was probably not the best time to reconsider this. I made a list in my head as to why.

I was being driven, and I had no idea where.

How do I even know that was really Simon?

Come to think of it, how did the note even get on my bed?

What if the Rakshana left it!

If two and two made four, these all added up to:

_I'm going to be murdered and I won't even know where._

If I had to die then, I'd rather die in my sleep. So I leaned my head back and closed my eyes.

* * *

Seconds (hours? minutes?) later, I was so startled to feel a presence next to me, that I fell out of my seat. I looked up only to see Simon smiling, inches from my face. He was leaning into the hansom cab. 

Of course he would find this funny. Here I am thinking that I'm being led to my blood execution and there he was, smiling. Hilarious.

"Good afternoon Miss Doyle, glad to see that you are alive and well. May I help you out of the carriage?" He extended his arm.

"I can help myself, thank you very much." I picked myself up and stepped out into the sunlight with as much dignity as I could muster.

I looked at my surroundings and was completely lost. I had never seen this place in my life.

"Where are we?" I really wanted to know.

"This is one of our estates, but we don't come here often."

_Why here, though? Why not the park or his home? _He must have seen the questions in my eyes, for he answered:

"I didn't think that anyone should see us speaking. Me and you alone…together."

"Yes of course. It would be grounds for a hasty marriage." He stopped walking to the house and turned to look at me.

"I wouldn't mind that, actually. Would you?" I was going to laugh, but luckily, I didn't. His features were serious and he was scanning my face for some emotion.

I quickly fixed my features into a mask of indifference, resuming my trek up to the house.

"This is a rather nice estate that your family has. How long has it been in the family?" I had no way to answer his question.

So I had to ignore it.

* * *

_**Author's Notes:**__22__nd__ December, 2007_

**So does anyone feel bad for Simon? I know I do. Remember that I don't mind any input that you have on this story, actually, I'd be glad for it.**

**I am just going to ask very politely for reviews because they only trickle in.**

**Everyone give Snickers a hand clap. I babble on and on to him about this story for hours a week and he actually listens! So I think that deserves a mention as well as he gave me a major idea for the plot coming up soon in the story! **

**MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! And HAPPY NEW YEAR'S just in case I don't get the chapter up by then.**


	10. Tension

**Just letting everyone know that once school is back in full swing I won't be able to update as regularly as I have been lately. I hope you all forgive me if there are any gaps between updates. Everyone enjoy this chapter and PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW!**

I felt completely horrible about the way that I had just ignored Simon, but what else could I have done? Told him that I might possibly be in love with him but I don't feel like having an in depth discussion about my feelings right now? No, I don't really think that would have worked.

If I had really been thinking, I could have at least dismissed the question with a little tact, but no, I had to panic and look where it got me! I still have to continue this conversation with Simon and try to pretend as if nothing had happened. It's not as if I could get back to where I live. Simon controlled the carriage.

I have put myself in an impossible situation and had no idea what to do. Sometimes I wished that I could get in trouble without it being my fault.

I stopped suddenly, realizing that I was leading the way to a house that was not even mine. Simon passed me without saying a word.

I didn't suppose that I could blame him. I did, essentially, reject him for the second time within a year. I'd be angry at me too. I sighed and followed him into the house.

I stayed as far away from everything as I could, for all I could see was dust. Dust on the mantle, dust on the tables and even dust on the chairs. I was lucky that I had no allergies, for if I did, I would not be able to survive. The sunlight that was filtering through gaps in the heavily curtained windows only served to highlight the amount of dust flying through the air.

Being preoccupied with the dust flying around me, I forgot about the tension all too soon.

"Do you never have this house cleaned?"

"Well it is to become my home when I am married." He turned around to look at her, the ice in his voice barely concealing the hurt in his eyes.

What was I supposed do? Apologize? If he would just ignore my answer, like I did his question, everything would be fine.

_Thank you so much Simon for creating more tension. It was just what I needed. It's not like I have anything else on my mind, such as the realms and everyone betraying me. This is much more important._

"I think that we shall speak in the study, Miss Doyle."

_Miss Doyle? Of course we need formalities Simon. There are just so many people in this house that I could not bear the disgrace of being called Gemma. _

At least I acknowledged the fact that I can't talk about my feelings. And here he is trying to contain his. He doesn't have to deal with this while thinking of Kartik and wondering what Felicity is planning at this very moment. He doesn't have to figure out why there is someone in the realms that is trying to prevent him entry. So what reason does he have to be cold to me?

Then again, it wasn't his fault. It was mine and he just happened to be caught in one of my unbearably tactless and awkward moments. Who was to blame but myself?

* * *

The Rakshana had people everywhere. Emily knew many of them. Even though the Rakshana was usually kept informed of everything going on, many did not know her. 

It is the reason why a member the organization, who just happened to be checking the straps around her, was startled when Emily spoke.

"I know of the skull and the sword." The entirely sane voice that came out of a patient in Bethlem made him look up. This slim, timid- looking man had to consider his words carefully, she knew, for she could have been another of those patients that were completely assured in their ramblings.

"You mean the Rakshana?" So maybe this was one of the stupid members of the organization who spoke without thinking. She would have hated to see him in a situation where he had to act.

"Yes, I mean the Rakshana. I need you to get a message to one of your members tonight. Do you know Kartik and where he is?" He nodded his head.

"I will give you 10 minutes to rune to where you can find him, do you understand? Good. Tell him this and nothing else: _Emily is leaving tonight with or without your help. If you value your well being, she suggests that you come._" She stopped to appreciate the look on his face: bemusement. He was thoroughly perplexed at why she would send a threat to anyone, let alone how she would come through with it. She grinned at him

"That will be all…Karsh isn't it? You are dismissed." Karsh left, happy to get away from anyone who could be that powerful and dignified while strapped to a bed in a mad house.

* * *

I am led to the study, where, miraculously, there is no dust. So what happens now? What big news does he have? Does he want to get married? Is he asking me what colour we should make the bedroom? What toys should be in the playroom for little Simon junior? _Why isn't he talking? _I looked at Simon, which was a mistake because he was staring at me. 

"Gemma I want to-"

"Wait, let me guess. You have a ring?"

"No I have to-"

"You want us to go to India on our honeymoon?"

"Really, what I'm trying to-"

"Oh, so it's a-"

"_Gemma, will you let me bloody talk!!?" _He exploded. Well if he wanted to give me the proposal, he could speak. It's not as if I would say yes. What he said next was not at all what I expected. What he said next made my blood run cold.

"What I want to tell you is about Circe."

* * *

Emily ran. She raised her knives and ran through the door of the place where she knew that Kartik would be waiting. 

"What is wrong with you? Could you not bear to have me escape again from a place in which you had imprisoned me?" She repeatedly slashed at his torso with her blade while he danced back to avoid them.

"Have you no shame, no pride!?" She chased him around the room.

"_Answer me!"_

* * *

"Circe? Are you sure?" This could not be good. 

"Yes, from what I've heard, she's your enemy and is supposed to be trapped in some sort of well, correct?"

"Yes."

"What if I was to tell you, that being trapped was not necessarily a bad thing for her?" I massaged my temples. _This isn't happening. I'm not hearing this._

"Well then I'd tell you that I would be traumatized for the rest of my life."

He sighed.

"So sorry to have to be the bearer of bad news once again, but Circe has power. And she has given some of then to her niece and nephew who are running rampant in the…realms…going to fulfill some sort of plan that Circe had."

I opened my mouth, but found no words to speak.

"Now I believe that I should take you home, Gemma. It's getting late. We shall discuss this in depth tomorrow evening." I could only let him lead me back to the carriage. Processing this new piece of information was more than I could take.

* * *

Kartik stopped and spun around with his knives, his only hope in the fight. Emily's eyes widened at the sight of them. Still running, for she could not stop in time, she impaled herself upon them.

It was a gory death for Emily. She had underestimated Kartik. In her last moments, she could only blame herself.

_**Author's Notes:**__29__th__ December, 2007_

**Lets all have a moment of silence for Emily…a little melodramatic. I know...  
**

**Sorry if you're sad about it, but it's just a direction that I felt the story had to take. **

**This is my last update for the year so HAPPY NEW YEAR'S. See you in 2008**

**And remember:**

**LEAVE A REVIEW! I WORK REALLY HARD TO ONLY GET TWO REVIEWS A CHAPTER!**

**Thanks to luneress and snickers. You get giant telepathic cookies that say 2008 on them.**


	11. Surprises

**Hope everyone enjoys this chapter! And leave a review please!**

I sat up in bed, groaning. Between what had happened and what was to come, it would be so much easier to spend the rest of my life in bed.

Last night I had had a horrible time explaining to grandmama what I had done. I was supposed to be out buying a dress and it was not until I walked in through the door that I remembered. I had to make up a lie, and fast. If she paid me as much attention as usual which is none whatsoever, I should have had no problem…

"Gemma, where's your new dress?"

"I erm…that is, we went to the…" I trailed off, waiting for an idea to come to me.

"You went to the what?" She stopped her needle work, which was a very bad sign. Something that would satisfy her finally came to mind.

"We went to all of the shops that we knew, but the dresses were all simply atrocious! Miss Worthington told me that it was no use to buy a dress that was long out of style. She said that it would be better for me to wear something that I already have and she will buy me another dress when they are suitable enough for her standards." It all came out in a rush, but by the look on grandmama's face, she believed me.

"Very well. You will have to wear the blue silk one that was bought last month."

"As you wish grandmama." I turned around before she could see the relief on my face…

_Last night was nothing compared to what I'm going to have to hear this evening_, I realized. Anything that Simon had heard about Circe could not be good.

* * *

Lounging on the isle of Aeaea next to Absyrtus, Felicity was in complete bliss. At home, her parents were still away and in the realms she had no problems. She was next to someone who looked better than Ithal's and Simon's best features combined, which by itself was enough to distract her from any problems she may have had. 

She was on the good side now. Gemma had lied to her. She should have known from the diary that the Order could not have been a good thing. She had spent too much time tagging along behind her, helping her to destroy the realms. When Circe had spoken to her, it all became so clear! Of course, Absyrtus confirming it had helped…

"Felicity?" A voice brought her out of her thoughts. Absyrtus was speaking to her.

She rolled closer to him.

"Yes, dear?" Absyrtus cringed. He hated it when she did things like that, but if it was the only way to make her cooperate…well he could live with it for a while.

"Do want to be able to enter the realms alone?"

"I don't even believe you just asked me that. Of course I want to!" This was what she had been waiting for and he was wasting time with words.

"Do you remember the last time that you went into the river?" he paused as she nodded her head.

"Well, you have to do it again."

Without hesitation, Felicity walked toward and into the river until she was waist-deep. She stopped, caution overriding greed for just the briefest of moments, before she continued on, completely submerging herself in the water.

* * *

"Good evening, all. I believe that my parents are waiting in the parlor." Simon spoke after he had opened the door. We all said our good evenings as we walked past him, heading towards the parlor. 

As I passed Simon, he held me back for a moment. Just a moment.

"I believe that you are going to have another sick spell before dinner." He mumbled when the others couldn't hear.

"I will, but you will have to play along." I mumbled back. He nodded his head in acknowledgement and I continued toward the parlor.

Now was the time to put my illusionary skills to practice.

Passing through the door to the parlor, I let my knees buckle, grasping the doorframe for support. Behind me, Simon said quite loudly:

"Miss Doyle! Are quite alright?" Everyone looked at me with concern. Everyone, that is, but grandmama.

"Yes, I'm fine," I said, picking myself up off the floor. "I can't imagine what must have happened."

"If you are sure that you're alright, I'll just escort you to your seat." He took my arm to walk me to the chair. I blushed, doing what they expected any young lady in his presence to do.

I wanted to roll my eyes, but Simon played along so nicely. How could I ruin that?

* * *

The water rushed around her. She felt as if she was at the center of a whirlpool. She could feel the power surrounding her and she opened her arms to receive it. 

Finally it would be hers! No one to rely on but herself. She had use of the powers. She could do what she pleased! Gemma would get what she deserved for fooling her. She could imagine now. Herself in all her glory. How cold she would be towards Gemma when she would have her begging for mercy

When Felicity emerged from the river, dripping wet, she was smiling.

* * *

The butler came to the door of the parlor to announce dinner. From then on he would be my hero. If had had to speak one more time about how lovely the curtains were or how delightful the lace was, I was going to be sick for real. We all rose to go to dinner. 

As soon as we entered the dining room, I quickly said "Oh my!" and I _fainted._ How wonderfully convenient of me.

After many attempts to revive me, someone (most likely Tom) picked me up and carried me to lie on the chaise longue in the sitting room.

Lord and Lady Denby had asked if they would like to carry me home, but of course, grandmama said no. She could not pass up an opportunity to eat with them.

Chivalrous Simon volunteered to stay with me. He said that he would sacrifice eating dinner now so that everyone else would be able to. He was overplaying his part, but no one noticed.

"You can open your eyes now, everyone's gone." I felt Simon sit beside me.

"Thank goodness! I thought that they were going to stay here forever!" I knew that grandmama didn't care and that father was just biding his time before he could get some laudanum, but did Tom have to stay so long and bother with formalities? I know that he loves me, but he was just trying to appear concerned for Simon's parents. Now, on to business.

"So what did you find out about Circe?" Simon then proceeded to tell me the long story of his second unfortunate encounter with Felicity and what she had told him.

_I had done everything for nothing._ Circe wasn't trapped; she was running through the realms with more power than she could ask for. Now I'd have to fix everything! I could feel the tears welling up. This was just too much.

I didn't even have anyone to help me. Felicity's gallivanting around the realms with my enemies. Ann if off working as a governess for her family and Kartik, my Kartik, is running around doing who knows what with only God knows who!

Emotion took over everything as I started to cry. I couldn't stop.

"Gemma don't-" I cut him off as I started to cry even more.

Simon looked perplexed for a moment before his face lit up. It clearly said 'I know what to do!' He took out his handkerchief and handed it to me

I was crying and all he could do was hand me his handkerchief. I ignored it.

Simon shuffled a little closer and put his arms around me, pulling me into a hug.

"It's okay. I know it must be hard to deal with this. For a while, I accepted his comfort, staying like that long after my tears were dry.

We heard them before we saw them. At least, I know_ I_ did. The voice of Lady Denby.

"Simon, we finished eating and we were just coming to-" I heard a sharp intake of breath. My eyes snapped open.

Everyone was standing in the doorway, looking absolutely scandalized. I jumped away from Simon realizing how it all must look. I was embracing a man that was not in my family and we were in the room alone.

I could only hope that no one took it seriously.

"Well, there's no question about it. They will have to be wed." Leave it to grandmama to crush my hope.

"We agree completely." Lord Denby said. I would have no say in the matter and Simon would not be taken seriously, even if he did think to protest.

I looked at him. He looked positively delighted. In fact the only person that seemed to be perturbed about it was me.

_Bloody hell._

_**Author's Notes:**__6__th__ January, 2008_

**So was anyone shocked? Did you like it? So sorry that I didn't update yesterday. I got serious writers block. **

**sigh I have to go back to that prison they call school, so slower updates will be in effect starting now. Sorry! But this does take a lot of time.**

**I put a poll up on my profile so if people would vote on it please... **

**I am tired of not getting reviews so I'm going to call some names: I want to see some reviews from:**

** AlmostLover17**

** Penopeni**

** Chopperchick123**

** Snaffle.**

**That's right! I know your names! Please leave me a review!**

**Ever and always grateful to luneress and snickers.  
**


	12. Crazy

**I know, I know- that whole weekly update thing just crashed and burned right? I had writer's block and I was sick… I kind of still am but my head isn't foggy anymore…enjoy the chapter!!!! Go to my profile and vote on my poll! and leave a review!  
**

"_Married!?"_ I still couldn't believe it. "This is too drastic. After all, nothing happened!" The best that everyone could do was to give me a skeptical look. This had to stop. I was not going to be married to Simon Middleton. It just was not going to happen.

"Given what how we found you two, that is highly doubtful." I think that I liked Lady Denby better when she spoke about lace and other frilly things.

"I am telling the truth. Nothing happened. Tell them Mr. Middleton." A moment of strained silence ensued. I could see Simon considering his options. He did want to be wed to me, though if he thought that I would be happy being forced into it, he was sorely mistaken.

"_Tell them." _I willed for him to say it, to tell the truth, for everything to go back as it was. For me to be able to go home to tonight and be able to think of marriage as some far off world that I was not to see for years to come.

"As a gentleman, I believe that it is my duty to tell the truth and so," He stopped and looked into my eyes, forming a question that I barely caught. _Was it really what I wanted?_ I nodded my head a fraction of a centimeter, telling him to go ahead.

"Nothing did happen; I was merely supporting Miss Doyle, as her fainting spell had left her a bit weak when she sat up." I broke out into a grin which I hardly contained before grandmama looked in my direction.

I was happy now; everyone could rid themselves of the hope that Simon and I were to be married. The shattered pieces of my life were slowly but surly putting themselves together again. I looked around at the faces again. Tom was thinking of all of the social circles he would now be accepted in; Simon looked as though he could kill himself for saying those words; Lady Denby looked as though she was just barely appeased; Grandmama, however, looked not only skeptical, but angry._Wonderful, just wonderful._

"Your son is lying, do you not see his face!" She pointed an accusing finger at Simon. "Look at my deceitful granddaughter! She lies as well!" _A little overdramatic, grandmama._

Things were not going as I had planned. This was supposed to be a nice dinner during which I ate nothing but found out about the realms. I was not supposed to get emotional. Even though I did, Simon was supposed to be like the other men who had no idea what to do with a crying female.

"My dear, she is right." Lord Denby spoke to his wife. "It is highly unlikely that our son has not soiled young Gemma's reputation. It _is_ the time for him to settle down." _This isn't happening. This cannot be happening._

"If you are sure darling," She agreed with her husband as any good wife should, something I knew that I'd never be able to do.

"You don't understand. I'm not getting married!" Something was obviously wrong here, some delusion that everyone was trapped in but me.

"Gemma, of course you're getting married. Your father agrees, doesn't he?"

"I do believe that we should ask…" She shot him a look that said 'No more laudanum for a month if you disagree with me'.

"I mean…I believe that it is the best thing for her. Gemma should be married."_Traitor!_

"Then it's settled…they are to be wed and are officially engaged?" Grandmama was not going to let go until she was sure that she had gotten what she wanted.

"Not officially, not until we find a ring for her. How would it look if they were suddenly engaged with no ring?" She made a very good point. It would look like what they thought it thought to be: that we were acting inappropriately or that I was a harlot; take your pick. I was being married off to Simon because of a hug. A simple hug.

"Then we shall meet to discuss this at another time?" Lady Denby nodded to answer grandmama's question.

"I think that it is best if we leave now. Good night."

"Wait!" Everyone turned to look at me. "Would it be possible for me to have a few moments alone with Simon?" Grandmama glared at me. I don't know what she was upset about, It's not as if I could cause her more embarrassment than she already thought that I had.

"Why of course Gemma. Why don't you two go into the parlor?" Lady Denby did have a nice word or two to say on occasion.

"Thank you, Lady Denby." I waited on Simon, who seemed to be hesitating. I gave him a look that he understood to mean 'Come now or I will find you later.' Later would not be a good choice or experience for him. It would be late, I would be angry and there was no one to witness my magic.

He chose to come now.

"Mother, Father, we will only be a few minutes." Simon took my arm and escorted me to the parlor.

One we were sitting in the parlor, I couldn't look at Simon. I had a hard time trying to figure out where to start. How to make it all seem like innocent talk as they could surely hear us in the sitting room.

I wanted to yell at him, yell until he was cowering in a dark corner far, far away from me. Simon _had_ tried to help me. He wasn't very convincing about it and he did it only because I asked him to. I didn't really believe that it was out of the goodness of his heart. He had a pained expression on his face as he said it. Maybe it did cause him physical pain. Or maybe not. Either way, I didn't really care at the moment.

I finally looked at Simon. He was watching me, trying to figure out my emotions. _If I didn't know what they were, he would have a really hard doing that._

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. My tears were ready to overflow; a dam prepared to break. Whether tears of anger, sorrow or hopelessness, I didn't know.

"Simon," I began.

"Gemma, I'm sorry! I never meant for this to happen!" He looked truly sorry for what had happened.

"Simon, there's no time for that right now. Just listen to me." I couldn't handle this right now.

"I am going to find you later tonight and we'll talk, okay?" After a few hours, maybe I would be calm. Maybe my thoughts would have stopped swirling around so much that they were driving me mad.

"But, how will you get here?" His brows furrowed in confusion.

"Don't worry about that. I have magic remember?" He nodded. "Sleep. I'll wake you up when I get back here. I should go now" I rose and he followed.

"Grandmama, I'm ready to leave now." I spoke indifferently, for I could not trust my voice otherwise. "Good evening to all." With that, I walked out of the door.

Later that night, sitting up in my bed, I was still awake, ready to go find Simon in another hour or so. I looked out of the window and saw a familiar shape cross the yard.

Kartik.

If he expected me to just go out to meet him, then he could wait. I wouldn't exactly welcome him if he crawled through the window either. I didn't feel like talking to him right now. I should have been concerned about him and what he had been doing, but I just couldn't bring myself to care.

There were too many other things on my mind and there was no way to worry about Kartik without ending up in Bedlem like Nell Hawkins. He just complicated everything

I slumped against down into my bed.

I felt hollow and dead inside. There was an emptiness that was eating away at me. What could I do? How could I fight it? I had always promised myself that I would never let anyone decide my fate. Yet here I was, engaged to Simon Middleton with neither my opinion nor my approval. Someone had decided my fate for me.

I didn't like it.

**_Author's Notes:_**_ 19th January, 2008_**  
**

**Come on people leave me a review! I worked really hard on this chapter!!!!!!**

**Why did Kartik come back, he just complicates everything for me…I mean Gemma.**

**I just want to ask you again to vote on the poll that I have up on my profile page! Only 2 people did it and I would just like some more opinions.**

**I hope you all enjoyed it!**

**Leave a review with any comments or suggestions you might have! I'm always looking for ideas!!**


	13. Believe

**I want to ask you all to forgive me for being so horrible to Kartik last chapter. In fact, I don't even think he was supposed to be there yet, so here's what the end of the chapter should have looked like:**

"Grandmama, I'm ready to leave now." I spoke indifferently, for I could not trust my voice otherwise. "Good evening to all" With that, I walked out of the door.

Later that night, sitting up in my bed, I was still awake, ready to go find Simon in another hour or so. I had no idea what I was going to say to him, though I had not yet slept.

I slumped against down into my bed.

I felt hollow and dead inside. There was an emptiness that was eating away at me. What could I do? How could I fight it? I had always promised myself that I would never let anyone decide my fate. Yet here I was, engaged to Simon Middleton with neither my opinion nor my approval. Someone had decided my fate for me.

I didn't like it.

**Like I said, please forgive me for my lapse in judgment. Anyway, enjoy this chapter!**

I went into the realms for a moment, only a moment. I had no desire to see who, or what was lurking about. I only stepped through the door of light long enough to delight in its scent and then, I was gone.

I only wanted to feel the magic flowing through my veins once more. Something to keep me going through the night.

Now was the time to go to Simon and I needed the magic to do it. It was already bound to me, and I needed to prove to myself that it could be more useful than it was now: not doing anything at all.

I quickly descended the trellis beneath my bedroom window and stood on the ground.

I closed my eyes in concentration. I felt my feet leave the ground and I opened my eyes to see if it had worked. The ground was now about fifteen feet beneath me and I could no longer see myself. _It worked!_ I did a quick loop in the air before I remembered my grim situation. I flew off into the sky thinking.

My circumstances were almost too odd to believe. I fact, sometimes I did stop believing in them.

Sometimes it was as though I was watching everything from a distance. I felt like my world was blurring at the edges as if it was not quite real. Like one day, I would wake up and it would all be a dream.

* * *

Her senses were all on fire. Things that she had never noticed were blindingly clear to her now: The weight of the air on her skin; the scent of the trees on the other side of the river; the way the hues sky blended together; the taste of the air on her tongue; and the angry tone of Absyrtus's whispering.

She couldn't quite hear what he was saying, so she inched back a bit. However, the two siblings must have noticed, for all she heard was "No, we mustn't" before Absyrtus addressed her.

"Felicity?" They were obviously hiding something from her, but she'd find out. She'd get it out of them, but she would play along for the moment.

"Yes, darling" Felicity answered in a sing-song voice. She spun around to face him. His gaze held her. _Now what was she thinking? _ Absyrtus hiding something from her? Never!

His gaze continued to hold her. His eyes were an endless blue, like a cloudless sky or the ocean. When she looked at them for too long a time, it was like plunging into the freezing depths of the Atlantic. She shuddered.

"You are going to return home now. You should be able to get there with your own magic."

And what shall I do there?" She asked. It didn't make any sense. Shouldn't she do something in the realms with her powers now?

Absyrtus wasted no words with his reply.

"Wait." His tone rang with a finality that stopped any arguments that she may have had.

"Goodbye, Felicity." Medea did not seem unhappy to see her leave. Felicity decided to ignore this, directing her reply at Absyrtus.

"I'll be waiting." She responded. Then she summoned the door of darkness.

* * *

I set myself down carefully on the carpet of Simon's room. Walking across the room, I slowed to take in the moment. I arrived at his bedside all too soon and noticed how peaceful and untroubled he seemed. I knew that even in my sleep, my emotions would continue to be in turmoil. I hadn't had peace since the night he told me he knew about the Order. _Was that really less than a week ago?_ I almost couldn't believe it. It was only because I could count my sleepless nights that I knew it was true.

I stretched my arm to wake him and stopped. I was still considering the idea that it all might be a dream. I went home then, right then, would it still have happened when I woke?

Waking him and talking about it made it real. It meant that I knew it had happened and I couldn't change that fact that it had. Waking him would bring reality crashing on my head.

Me resolve to wake him was already weakened, and so I hoped that Simon woke at my first touch. It was so tempting to just go back home and forget about it; to just let any events happen as they willed.

I looked hopelessly at the dark wood of his high bed and then at the deep red of the quilt with which he was covered.

I brushed my fingers along his arm. He jerked awake and sat up.

He ran his hands through his hair and looked about himself sleepily. His eyes stopped on me.

"Gemma? Why are you here?" The creases in his forehead deepened as his eyes looked over my face, confusion aided by drowsiness. I sat on the edge of his bed and waited until I saw the spark in his eyes when he remembered what had happened.

"Oh Gemma, I…," he stopped and swallowed. "I never meant for any of this to happen. It just did." He slid from beneath his quilt and came to sit next to me.

"You know," I said. "If we were to be found now, like this, we'd be married by tomorrow evening."

"Maybe we'd get lucky and my parents would think it was a dream."

"Just a dream?" I laughed bitterly. "More like a nightmare. Believe me, Simon, I've tried that way out. It's not a dream. It never will be no matter how much I wish that I could just wake up." I looked up at him. He still had a smile playing about his face and a sparkle in his eyes._ With Kartik gone, maybe I could…_No; let's not go there right now. "I was hoping that you might have had some way to get us out of this mess."

"Would it really be so bad to marry me, Gemma?" I could even see the question in his eyes. I wanted to chastise him for even considering asking me that question. _ But how could I expect him to know the answer if I didn't know it myself. _It wasn't him; the whole situation just had the feel of an arranged marriage.

"Simon, it's not you.I just don't like being forced into this." I really hoped that he would understand. I really couldn't afford to lose any friends at the moment.

"I'm not going to lie to you, Gemma. I really do want this to work."

"Simon, no matter what you say, I still don't like this." He took my hands in his and pulled me off of the bed. _What, so now he was going to propose? _Well it was just a waste of breath. I looked into his eyes with a wicked smile on my face. If he was silly enough to ask for my hand in marriage, then it would be a pleasure to deny him.

"Believe it or not, Gemma," his voice was low. "I love you."

"_What?" _I couldn't comprehend what he had just said. Surely he wasn't even speaking English?

"You heard me." His eyes were boring into mine. His voice was little more than a whisper as he spoke.

"I love you."

_**Author's Notes:**__9__th__ February, 2008_

**Finally, I got it up!!! Hope this chapter was worth the wait! **

**Gemma is alone with Simon. At night. In his room. I wonder what he's thinking about?????**

**Anyway I promise big telepathic cookies to everyone who reviews! **

**Luneress, snaffle and snickers get extra big cookies!!!!!!**

**Everyone leave me review!!!! I hope I get the next chapter up sooner than this one!!**


	14. Really?

**At least this one is up faster that the last one was! Thanks for waiting. (Sorry that its shorter, but I did get it up in two weeks!) Enjoy this chapter everyone!!!**

"I love you."_IloveyouIloveyouIloveyou. _The words echoed in my head.

He loves me.

He loves me?

_He loves me?!?_

_What the bloody hell was I supposed to do now?! Thos wasn't what I came here for! What was it with Simon and forcing me to examine my emotions! (Which I really _did not _feel like doing right now!)_

I couldn't deal with this!

Within the last…what? twelve hours? I had been forced into engagement, gotten no sleep and now Simon was telling me that _he loves me!_

Did I really need this right now? Did I _really _need this right now?

This was not the time or place for this! Well, maybe it was the place, since no one could see us here in his room…and I could see how he thought it was the time…I mean, it was 3, 4, 5 in the morning and we were already engaged…

Wait! _I am not on his side! And I am _not_ giving him any excuses!_

Was it just me, or did Simon _like_ rejection?

Unless he thought that there was a chance of him _not _being rejected?

This would mean that he could read me better than anyone else I had ever known.

_What did I really want to happen?_

I felt my face slip out of its neutral mask. Once it did that, my emotions could be read like an open book. If Simon could already read me so well, what did he see now? Confusion? Shock? Utter hopelessness and despair?

"Gemma?" Simon's voice brought me back down to earth. I was forever stuck in this reality with no way to escape. Sooner or later I would have to respond to Simon. To be truthful, I really didn't have an answer for him.

I sat on his bed and sighed. My hand was the only thing holding my head up, with my arm propped up on my knee. I could feel Simon staring at me, waiting.

_What was I going to do? _I groaned internally. I was just waiting for an answer to fly out nowhere, so that I wouldn't have to think of one.

This shouldn't have been one of the major decisions in my life, but it was. It seemed to me that whatever I told him now would follow me for the rest of my life.

I gripped the side of the bed and closed my eyes. _I was so bloody confused! _My thoughts were spinning in my head. I would burst if they didn't escape soon.

I felt like I was on the cliff of insanity and Simon was trying to push me over the edge.

"Gemma?" Simon whispered once more.

"Simon I-," What words were to escape my mouth, I did not, could not know, for what was I to say in my situation? There were only so many options at the moment. What Simon had said was no question, but still it demanded an answer.

I took a deep breath. I had made my decision (not so much decided as realized, for Simon had sent me into a spiral of deep thought), now it had to be said. He had come back to me after rejection before, but he now seemed more serious. I could see it etched plainly into his face. This would be the moment that I would either keep Simon or lose him forever.

"Simon I-," I opened my eyes and looked up at him. "I think I love you too"

Simon's face flickered to joy and then caution. I could understand why he thought I might be playing a joke on him.

"You love me." He repeated slowly.

I smiled. "Yes Simon, I do. I love you." A bright smile lit up his face in an instant.

I would neither see nor imagine the look of complete and inexpressible joy that spread across Simon's face at that very moment again.

"You do, Gemma? You do? You really do?" I nodded, as the words still sounded odd coming from my mouth.

He picked me up and spun me around. I heard a squeal of delight that I had not heard since my father had been able to do the same.

"Um…Simon?" A thought just popped into my head.

"Yes?"

"I don't think that your parents should find us like this…I'm in your bedroom in the middle on the night and I'm not really supposed to be able to fly here…"

He set me down and raised one eyebrow.

"You…_flew?_" I had forgotten that I would have to explain it to him.

"I'll explain that to you later. It has something to do with the Order and the realms. There's a lot that you'll have learn."

Was this just going to turn into another headache? Another person that would run off and leave me one they knew all of my deepest, darkest secrets?

I didn't think that Simon was capable of that. He was…influenced by the absinthe before; he wasn't himself when I saw him at his worst. He truly had no intention to hurt me and he just couldn't turn on me like my other friends had done.

The extreme fatigue that I always felt after a trip to the realms hit suddenly, and I slumped a bit in Simon's arms. My trip combined with my lack of sleep was almost enough for me fall asleep on my feet.

"Gemma?" Simon was gripping my upper arms and shaking me. "Gemma, are you alright?"

I forced myself to open my eyes and stand. I didn't think it would be a good idea to fall asleep in Simon's bedroom.

"I'll be alright." I yawned. "I should just go home now, so I can sleep."

"Let me guess," He grinned. "You're going to fly?"

"How else would I get to go anywhere?" I smiled back at him and sat on the windowsill. Just as I was turning around, Simon stopped me.

I turned around and jumped, startled. I hadn't realized that he was right behind me.

"You do think that you made the right choice tonight, don't you Gemma?" That was the point where I wondered if Simon could really and truly read my mind, because I had been asking myself that question for past few minutes. _Had I made the right choice? _

I looked up at him. His eyes were open and trusting. All I could do was to answer Simon as honestly as I knew how.

"I don't know, Simon I honestly don't know." He seemed to accept that answer and drew back to give me room to leave.

"Good night, Gemma." I didn't have to turn around see the smile on his face.

"Good night, Simon." With that, I left his windowsill to begin my flight home.

**_Author's Notes: _**_24th February, 2008_

**Ok, so who did not see that coming? I mean Gemma actually admitting that she loves someone? I didn't see it!**

**These characters will not do what I tell them! shouldn't I be in control? Simon just talks too much for me sometimes...and then he makes me type it and upload it!**

**Who wants to hear some more from Felicity and Absyrtus? I'm going to put them in the next chapter. I wonder what they're going to make me write? Really, they all have minds of their own.**

**Thanks to SNikorasu and snaffle for their constant reviews! They get cookies! If you give me a review I will send you a telepathic cookie! (Luneress, where are you?)**

**As you may have seen, I closed the poll and it came out even. (Not that there were that many voters.) So you're just going to have to wait and see what's going to happen!**

**My beta, snickers, gets a big cookie and a handclap! (yay snickers!) **

**Everyone feel free to leave me a message from my profile if you have anything else to say! **


	15. Fog

**Sorry about the wait everyone. I'm not going to lie, I was just being lazy. But, finally, here it is.**

Felicity was lying in her room, wide awake even as dawn drew near. She did have a lot to think about.

She was thinking about Gemma and what had happened, why she had betrayed her. It seemed that once she was in range of Absyrtus's eyes, it was hard to remember. It was kind of like she was mesmerized when she was near him. When he was in range, her mind was in a constant fog, but her personality still seemed to shine through at times.

The instant she left his side, however, everything was as clear as day. Except for the reason behind any of her actions.

He was handsome, she'd give him that. He rivaled Pippa's knight in looks and his build resembled that of a Greek god's, but was that any reason to follow him so willingly?

Her thoughts were interrupted when the familiar door appeared in her room. All her doubts were lost as Absyrtus stepped into her room.

Neither a thought nor a whisper of her doubt remained. All there was was Absyrtus's face. It was a beacon shining through the fog, beckoning her in its direction.

"Felicity, you need to come with me," he said. "My sister and I have something else to show you." He held out his hand.

She stood and stretched her hand out as well, stopping just before hers touched his.

There was another light shining in the fog.

She could try to use now as a way to find out something…if only she could remember what she wanted to know.

"Felicity?" Absyrtus was impatient.

"Just one minute. Let me think." Her brows furrowed in concentration as she struggled to come up with something, anything.

"The door!" Her face lit up.

"Pardon?" Absyrtus was thoroughly confused.

"The door. Before we go, I want to find out about the door."

"The door to where?"

"The door to the realms." Felicity was proud of herself for finally clearing some of the fog in her mind.

"What about it?"

"Why is it a door of darkness and not the door of light?"

Absytus sighed. "All right then." He sat down. "You'll have to listen for qute a while though."

She nodded, signaling for him to continue.

"The door that is the entrance to the realms is a very…complicated object." His voice settled into a comfortable drawl. "You could almost say that it is unstable. Everything in the realms, when it begins, is evil."

"Everything?" Felicity interrupted.

"Yes, everything. Good has to struggle to…outshine the evil in the realms. Before the Order, evil ran amok in the realms and every door was a door of darkness. Anything that went in or out of the realms carried some magic with it. It would run out eventually, but while creatures had the use of it, it proved to be risky when creatures used it out of the realms. It was dangerous, even in the realms, but at least it was contained."

It was getting to be a sort of history lesson for Felicity, which was not what she had bargained for.

"What does this have to do with anything?" She was getting to be impatient.

"I'm getting to that right now, if you'll let me finish."

"Sure, don't let me stop you." She waved her hand at him. "Continue."

"The Order changed it. I'm still not completely sure of how they did it, but somehow, they manipulated the door until its very nature was changed. There were no more doors of darkness, only doors of light. The light was supposed to represent good, opposed to the darkness, which was evil. The light restricted the magic transferred in and out of the realms and any that was used outside of them caused the user to become exhausted at an alarming rate."

"You know, that really explains a lot," Felicity started, thinking back to when she and Gemma were still friends. "The magic never stayed with us for long. I remember the first time we used it in Spence. I don't even think we got up anymore that night to meet in the cave like we usually did. Then there was that time when Gemma was overcome with magic at the opera. I was afraid that it would kill her. I really did care a lot about her at the time..."

She decided that it was time to stop strolling down memory lane and time to finish hearing what Absyrtus had to day about magical doors.

"For many years, no one had found a way to get around it. Even in the Order, no one knew how the door was changed. The secret was lost centuries ago and no one ever quite figured it out. Except…" He paused here for effect.

"Except…?" Felicity took the bait. She had to find out what had happened.

"Except Circe. Dear Aunt Circe." He sighed and rolled his eyes. She had told him the story so many times that it was almost like a recording in his head. It was committed to memory because his aunt constantly reminded him that she was and the most powerful person in both the past and present.

"Ever since her birth, which was so long ago that I don't think that you'd care to know when, she knew that she was destined for greatness. The Order tried to take the magic away from her though, and that's when she met some creatures from the Winterlands. They instructed her to make a sacrifice in order to keep her magic, a human sacrifice."

Felicity nodded. She knew all of this already.

"Anytime after, when she summoned the door, it was almost as if it was flickering. It didn't stay a bright light. She would catch glimpses of the door of darkness, although she did not yet know what it was. When you think about it, though, it's fairly obvious." Here, he allowed himself a smile.

"The door continued to fade, and her magic in the outside world continued to strengthen. One day, however, when the door was almost completely comprised of darkness, she could not get through the door any longer. She was locked out of the reams forever. That is, until Gemma came along. Circe knew who she was, and she seemed to be rather gullible, and therefore, a good way to get into the realms.

"Once she was back in the realms, it was as if she had never left. The door came to her more easily then ever, the only difference was that the door was made of darkness. Complete darkness." He paused, waiting to see if she would figure it out. When she didn't, he continued with his recitation.

"Don't you see? If you don't try your hardest to use the magic with good intentions and you don't keep all of the rules that the Order has set in place, the door fades. You didn't see the door fade because you couldn't summon it before. When Circe gave you the magic, you had already broken the rule of the Order, just by receiving magic from her. When the door of light fades, it locks you out of the realms. But, if you can find a way back in, it changes into a door of darkness. The door of darkness doesn't restrict magic, it doesn't deplete your energy and it lets you have the freedom to do whatever you want."

"Do you understand the door now?" He started to raise his voice, trying to convey to her the importance of what he was saying. "Do you understand why it's a very complicated being? Why it's a mystery that no one dares to unravel? It does what it likes, but it does have some aspects that are set in its way. We were lucky to find this one." He sighed once more.

"Will you come with me now?" Aunt Circe's stories always tired him a bit, and he was ready to get going.

She took his hand and waited for him to summon the door of darkness. Now she had found some information that she was storing away for later use. She was wondering about his little dramatic outburst at the end, though. Was there something he wasn't telling her?

For the moment, she just let it go. She had found out something, and that was enough for right now. Or maybe it was just because the fog was taking over again...

_**Author's Notes: **__19__th__ March, 2008_

**Seriously, Fee…what's with the fog? And why is Absyrtus having little dramatic outbursts?**

**I'm writing the story, so I should probably know the answer. I told you, sometimes the characters do what they want and they just make me type it…No, snickers, I am not going crazy…unless I already am. **

**Thanks to my beta **_**Roxxi and Ali**_

**Thanks **_**snickers, **_**you're still important!**

**Who likes this chapter? I do! Now send me a review and tell me that you love it too!**


	16. Humor

**I know…once again, long wait. Sorry about that.**

He had to get back. It had been long enough now. He _had_ to get back to Gemma. He, Kartik, a big strong man of the Rakshana. It was sad…he hiding from the members of his own organization. They would welcome him back with open arms if he was to kill her. He had to do it soon.

Word had gotten back to him about her engagement to Middleton…He might actually notice if something happened to Gemma. He snorted. Her grandmother would throw a party; Tm would say "Oh. Gemma's dead? So…No…no…don't waste any money on an investigation…just bury her." Her father would be too concerned with his laudanum to care…If he did it now, he didn't have to worry about them finding out who killed her. They wouldn't care.

He closed his eyes. He could almost envision it. His glorious reentry into the Rakshana, with Gemma's blood on his hands…

Something seemed out of place. Was it his vision or reality? He opened his eyes.

A black void was forming in the room. It looked like the door that Gemma had described to him…but hadn't the door been made out of light?

Nevertheless, the door opened and someone stepped out. Kartik was immediately in his feet, knives drawn. The figure spoke.

"Put your knives away." He obeyed. It was a woman's voice. "You can't possibly be afraid of me, can you?"

"Who are you and why do you come from the Realms?" The real question on his mind was whether she was a friend of Gemma's.

"Questions, questions…Doesn't anyone just say hello anymore? What ever happened to aimless small talk?"

"I don't usually engage in small talk with strangers." His tone was guarded.

"Oh, fine! I am Medea, sister of Absyrtus. We are both in league with Circe and wish to kill Gemma." He could work with that, but there had to be a reason that she had come to him.

"I'm Kartik. What are you doing here?"

"I introduced myself. _Now _can we make polite conversation?"

"What's the point?"

"Humor me." He sighed. He was really going to have to kill her if she didn't get to the point soon.

"How was your day today?" He said, putting on a falsely cheery voice.

"Fine, and yours?"

"It was great until you came."

"That's just wonderful." She had decided to ignore his comment. "Have you ever been into the Realms?"

"No…"

"It's a really nice place…you should visit sometime." He groaned

"What _is _the _point _of this?" She really did have to have a reason. It was annoying when persons prolonged talking about important matters.

"Well, I'm sorry if no one wanted to talk to me once I was dead!"

"You're _dead?!_" His face was convulsing ,unsure whether it wanted to be in shock or horrified. "What do you mean _you're dead_!?"

"I mean exactly what I say. I'm dead…but not quite…"She paused to think. "I think you should come with me."

"Where?" She was dead, where could she be going?

"Into the realms…where else do I look like I have access to? You should meet Absyrtus. He'll tell you what's going on"

It was a hard decision for Kartik. He had spent a great part of his life avoiding the realms and any of its magic. Now she was asking him to enter them of his own free will? Bit, hen he would have his chance to get Gemma…It might be easier if he wasn't working alone…maybe he shouldn't have killed Emily after all…

"Kartik?"

"I think that I'll come with you."

Medea smiled. It was a slow smile. The kind of smile that crept up slowly and without warning. When it's there, you know that you should have seen it coming, but you never do. It was a pleasant smile on most people. It made them look friendly. Not her.

The look of it sent a chill down Kartik's spine. He immediately regretted his choice. That smile contained all the evil on God's green earth.

The smile was gone soon, however and he doubted that it had ever been there.

"Good" Her tone rang with a finality that Kartik dared not to argue with.

She summoned the door of darkness into the room once again. She opened the door for Kartik. He was pushed into the realms, unsure of whether Medea was his savior or his very own demon.

* * *

"Gemma, get up!" Grandmama barged into my room. What was she doing here? Surely it was only the crack of dawn…wasn't it?

"It's not time to get up yet!" I mumbled from beneath my covers.

"Of course it is, you silly girl! Its half past ten already!" My head was hurting. I did _not _want to get up. I had less than 5 hours of sleep and I felt like I had had too much to drink…that is, if I knew what that actually felt like.

"Can't we do this later?"

"No. We have to go out now!" She yanked the covers off of me. I clapped my hands over my ears. Her voice was like a nail being driven into my head. Every syllable hurt.

"Why do we have to go out now?"

"Because we have to look for your engagement ring with _Simon Middleton_! He is coming to get us at eleven!" Obviously, she was more excited than I was about the matter. I decided to humor her.

"How could I have forgotten? I have to get ready now!" I don't think that I quite succeeded in hiding the sarcasm in my voice.

"Good…wear the yellow dress." She walked out of my room. I guess she didn't hear the sarcasm…or she just ignored it.

* * *

"How about this one, Gemma?" Simon pointed to a gold ring with a horrendously large amethyst in it. Simon was obviously new at the jewelry thing. His mother must have helped him to pick anything out before. _Now how can I break this to him nicely?..._

"No. It's horrible!" I expected his feelings to be hurt, but to my surprise, he started to laugh.

"Good Because I thought so too. What if I had had to look at that for the rest of my life?"

"I'm glad you feel like that, because I might have run away if you bought it!" I started to laugh too, which brought grandmama over to where we were standing.

"Gemma?" She was trying to tell me something…oh. I forgot. Laughing loudly in public is not ladylike. I tried my hardest to keep a straight face. I don't quite know if it worked, but it satisfied grandmama. She went back to look at the pearl earrings.

There were a lot of beautiful rings there, but none of them seemed to be _me_. I wanted something relatively simple. These were more Felicity-like rings: big, flashy, expensive. I was starting to think that we would have to go somewhere else. This was the third store that we had been in and I don't think hat I could bear to see grandmama harass the salespersons anymore.

I leaned on Simon's arm. We both yawned. I looked up and he smiled.

"Gemma, you look tired. Didn't you sleep last night?" I made a face and crossed my arms.

"No I didn't, and you know it well…Are those dark circle s that I see under your eyes? You really should get more sleep, Simon."

I was going to laugh again, but I stopped. I had seen it. The perfect ring. It was a simple gold band. There were four diamond set into the shape of a diamond, with an amethyst right in the center.

Simon's eyes followed mine to see what I was staring at.

"Simon, it's perfect." I couldn't say it any better than that.

"You love it?" I nodded. "Then so do I." He looked around until he spotted a salesperson. "I'd like to purchase this ring…"

* * *

It had been a very long day for Simon. Not only had he gone jewelry shopping, he had done it with Gemma's grandmother. Finally, it was evening. All he wanted to do now was to sleep. He closed the door of his room behind him and relaxed in the darkness, closing his eyes.

Suddenly, they shot wide open. He could hear someone in his room…but it was probably his imagination. After all, he was tired.

"Hello, Simon. Did you have a nice day?"

_**Author's Note: **10th April, 2008_

**So...I wonder who that can be in Simon's room? I know...do you?**

**Send me a review to tell me that you liked it! You all get big telepathic cookies if you do! And be sure to check out my other fanfic - Figments!**

**Thanks a lot to Snickers and Roxxi!!**

**Just remember - a review for forsaken is a revew for...ok I don't know...**

**Just leave a review, ok?**


	17. Fear

**I think I did pretty well with my update this time! Or maybe not…Enjoy!**

What was he going to do now? Someone was in his room and he knew that he wouldn't have enough time to get out of the window or the door. Now that he thought of it, he knew that voice. His imagination was playing tricks on him…the result of spending a day with Gemma's grandmother.

"Gemma, don't _do _that! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Simon strained his eyes to find her in his darkened room. She stepped out of the shadows.

"Well I just wanted to make sure that you were alright after spending a day with Grandmama. Sorry if I _bothered_ you." She crossed her arms. He sighed.

"Usually there isn't anyone in my room at this time. I'm not used to people being able to _fly through the window_!"

"Oh…I had forgotten that most people can't do that….I'll just leave you alone now." Gemma started to walk to the window.

"Do you have to go _right_ now?" Simon grabbed her hand. Some time alone with Gemma would be nice for a change.

"I don't think that Grandmama will notice, but Tom might come up to check on me. Goodnight Simon." She pulled away and sat on the windowsill.

"Goodnight Gemma." He sighed, and then his face lit up. "Maybe I can invite you to dinner again and you can conveniently have another fainting spell?" They both laughed

"I'm surprised that no one has noticed yet. I'll have to consider a career in the theatre!" She laughed at the thought. "I really have to go now, Simon. Goodnight." She slipped out of the window before he could respond. He watched her until she was clothed in a shroud of invisibility. Now he could finally sleep. He turned toward his bed and stopped.

There was something forming in the corner of his room. A patch that was darker than the rest of his room. It almost looked like a door. But it couldn't be…at least that's what he thought until the door opened. A scream stuck in his throat. Gemma's door was in his room, but the woman who was stepping out was not Gemma and this door was not a door of light.

He took a step back. Kartik stepped out of the door. Kartik grinned at Simon. Medea smiled her evil smile. Simon shivered. Whatever was coming, he knew it was bad. He pressed himself against a wall, wishing as hard as he could that he could be somewhere else. The woman was the first to speak.

"Hello, I'm Medea. I know who you are. Now, if you would be so kind as to step through this door with me, we won't have any problems. Understood?" Before Simon could force any part of himself to answer, the door opened once more, and someone else stepped through. Someone who looked extremely annoyed. Medea turned to see who it was. She sighed and rolled her eyes. The man spoke.

"Medea, I thought that_ I_ was supposed to do it. What is _he _doing here?"

"I wasn't sure if you could handle it." She shrugged and jerked he thumb at Kartik. "I got him as a backup."

No one noticed Simon creeping closer and closer to the window.

"I was only a backup?" Kartik looked angry.

"No…Of course you weren't. You're as important as anyone of us." Amazingly enough, Kartik believed her. Absyrtus was fuming because it seemed like his sister didn't trust him.

Suddenly, Kartik made a leap to the other side of the room. By the time the others looked to see what was happening, Kartik had Simon in a choke hold with a dagger to his throat.

"Where did the dagger come from?" Absyrtus was just a bit confused.

"Unlike _some _people, I don't_ need_ magic to be fast." Medea sensed the tension and stepped in.

"Let's not fight over this. Yes, Kartik, that was fast, but there was no need to be brutish. Let him go." Fast as lightning, he obeyed her orders. Simon had to lean on the wall to stand up straight; his knees were threatening to buckle. However, Medea was not yet finished giving orders.

"Get him Abby." Medea ordered. Absyrtus started forward to obey, but stopped.

"Abby?" A confused look passed over Absyrtus's face. Medea was very, very irritated.

"Just do it!" Now he really was going to obey, but Simon had finally found his voice, though it was a bit shaky.

"You can't get me! I won't go with you! You only have the power of illusion!" Medea turned slowly to fix her glare on him.

"You know what Simon? You're right. We only have the power of illusion. This," She snapped her fingers. "Is the illusion that you can't talk." Simon's mouth was continually moving, but no sounds were coming out. He slid down the wall until he was sitting on the floor. His legs had lost their strength. Now the fear could be seen in his eyes.

Medea slowly walked closer, until she was standing right in front of Simon. She crouched in front of him. Once more, she smiled.

"And this," she snapped her fingers again. "Is the illusion that you are in unbearable pain." Simon's screams, though silent, filled the air.

Kartik and Absyrtus stood watching, dumbfounded. They gaped as Medea walked past them.

"Take care of him. _Both _of you." Then she was gone. She had disappeared onto the other side of the door of darkness.

Both Kartik and Absyrtus glowered at each other, and then decided to work at the task at hand. Simon, who seemed to be unconscious, was not difficult for them to handle. They picked him up and walked through the door of darkness. It disappeared. No one outside of Simon's room had heard a thing.

* * *

Early the next morning, I awoke. I let my eyes stay closed and reveled in the sunlight coming through my bedroom window. Maybe everything would be okay. I hadn't heard anything from Felicity; Kartik was off somewhere doing anything he felt like and the strange people from the realms had not come to kill me in my sleep. For me, this was as good as it got.

But now I started to feel that things were going just a bit too well. It was almost as if I felt that something _had _to go wrong. I tried to shake the feeling, but it wouldn't go away. However, all my thoughts were lost as I heard my door fly open.

"Gemma!!" Really, was there any need for Grandmama to shout? She was already in my room, I was _right there_.

"To day is the day! We're going shopping for your wedding dress…for your marriage to _Simon Middleton!_" There were so many other things that I would rather be doing. Like reading the dictionary or picking the lint off of my sweater.

"I had almost forgotten! I am so excited! I get to look for my wedding dress today!" I was falsely cheerful and I hoped that grandmama would catch on.

"Do you think that Miss Worthington would like to come with us?" Was she deaf to my sarcasm? Felicity?

"Miss Worthington? She's…ill." That was a barely passable lie.

"Then we must go and visit her!" I lived in the same house as Grandmama and she didn't visit me when I was sick. When it was someone _important_, though, she would cross the Atlantic to see them if it she had to.

"I'm afraid that we can't visit her…" _Think Gemma, think!_ "Her doctor said that she is extremely contagious and that no one is allowed to visit." If she never heard my sarcasm, then surely she would believe that.

"Very well then. I'll send Alice up to help you to get ready." With that, she swept out of my room and closed the door behind her.

Okay, so Alice was coming to help me get ready. Grandmama didn't care about me; she only cared about the connections that my marriage to Simon would bring her. Marriage… I sat at my vanity and stared into the mirror. It was kind of funny, actually. I was getting married.

I was always sure that Pippa would be first, because of her beauty, but then…well, she confined herself to the realms. Then Felicity would be next. She was so assertive that she may have made the marriage proposal, not her suitor. But she was…a bit distracted by her dastardly deeds right now. Ann…well, I didn't think that _she _thought that she could get married, which was why I thought that I would be third in line. I was first though…I would be the first…

Abruptly, my eyes focused back on the mirror and I watched as a crease crossed my brow. _Who is Alice?!_

A knock sounded on my door and it was opened. I turned in my seat to take a good look at the new Emily. She looked to be at least in her thirties, maybe early forties. She was a bit shorter than I was and had dark brown hair. She was slim, but not slight.

"Good morning…Alice is it?"

"It's not Alice, its Ms. Mildmay to you." Well she was unusually bold for a maid!

"I trust that you're finding it pleasant here?"

"As pleasant as can be expected in this house." She answered in the drawl that seemed to be her usual way of speaking.

"I think I'll wear my green dress today." Polite conversation was obviously not going to work between us.

"Very well Miss Doyle."

* * *

I was never going shopping with grandmama again. I was tired and hungry because 'we have no real need to eat more than twice a day' according to grandmama. I slowly climbed the stairs to my room. I couldn't even remember what my dress looked like. I had been a little faint by the time when had reached that store and so everything was a blur from then on. Even though we had just eaten, everything still was. still was.

I couldn't wait to get to bed. Luckily, Alice, I mean Ms. Mildmay, had left a lamp in my room for me. I opened the door and stumbled into my room. Then my eyes focused on something that brought the world into sudden, sharp clarity. There was a note on my pillow.

It was pinned with a knife.

_**Author's Notes: **__4__th__ May, 2008_

**Well here's another chapter! Exams are coming up and I keep saying that should probably study…but I never seem to get around to it (sigh). In case you hadn't noticed. It was Kartik that left the note there, like he used to do when she was at Spence!**

**I just got The Sweet Far Thing! ( I know, its sad. I really _just_ got it.) But I've been so wrapped up in Forsaken lately that I keep expecting all of my characters to be there!**

**Make sure to leave me a nice long review and I'll send you a telepathic cookie!**

**Thanks Snickers!**

**Thanks Roxxi! (Who will soon be updating the typos in this chapter!)**

**Poor Simon…he got kidnapped. I feel so sad about it! And Medea scares me! Yes, I know that I'm supposed to control them! They still do what they want! No, snickers, I'm not crazy. (At least I don't think so.)**

**Remember, leave a review!!**


	18. Sure?

**So I suck at updating on time. What else is new? Happy reading!**

There was a note on my pillow. Pinned with a knife. From Kartik. This couldn't be good.

_Note. Knife. Kartik. Note. Knife. Kartik...What could possibly be so important that he returned from his unknown venture to tell me? _

I thought about it. The options weren't good.

I willed my legs to move, but they would not budge. _ Come on Gemma,_ I told myself. _You have to move. It's the only way to find out what's going on…_

_It probably doesn't say anything bad. He's back from wherever he was and he just wants me to meet him on the stables tonight._

I inched towards my bed. I had to see what was written in that note. I reached my hand out for it. I had to see it, I had to…

There was a knock on my door. I had to hide the note…and the knife. The door was opening. I had to…had to…

"Gemma?" Too late. I whirled around with both the note and the knife behind my back.

"Tom! I…" I had to keep the note away from him. I did the only thing I could think of: I sat on them both, wincing as I felt pain. I seemed to have forgotten that knives are sharp.

Tom must have noticed something for he exclaimed, "Gemma! Are you alright?"

"Yes, of course! I though I saw…a snake behind you?" I shrugged, hoping that he wouldn't question me anymore.

"Oh, alright then..." He started to leave the room, but turned around and cleared his throat. "Listen Gemma, that's not what I wanted to talk to you about." He walked over and sat next to me on the bed. That was strange…

"Are you sure that you want to be married to Simon Middleton?" My mouth dropped open. Someone actually cared about what I wanted? But what did I want?

"I'm not sure about anything that I want, Tom. All I know is that I'm not completely sure that I _don't _want to marry him." Tom looked at me. I could see that he was unsure of what he was about to say.

"Do you love him?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing!

"When did _you_ start caring about there being love in a marriage?" I had the right to be skeptical about this with Tom.

"Believe it or not Gemma, you are my sister and I _do_ care about what happens to you." He paused, looking me up and down. "Although, I do suppose that if you learned to act like a lady, you could have your pick of men at the Athenaeum."

I tried to imagine myself walking into a gentleman's club and attracting all of the attention. The closest image I got was one of me tripping on the doorstep on my way in. The situation was so believable that I burst into laughter. I suppose that Tome had the same image, for he too burst into laughter.

There's something you don't see often: me and tom, actually having a pleasant moment. Abruptly, Tom stopped laughing and looked at me. I silently pleaded with him not to ruin the moment.

"Tell me, Gemma," He was going to ruin it. "Do you love him?" Yes, the moment was ruined.

"Just tell me this, Tom," I had to set my mind at ease. "Why are you so concerned about it?" That seemed to make him very uncomfortable.

"Well, this is supposed to be the father's job, asking you about marriage, but," he cleared his throat. "As our father is…indisposed, the task falls on me." In Tom's language, I think that means that he cares about me.

"Now, Gemma, tell me. Do you love Simon?" I loved him, but what if Kartik really did come back? What would I say then? I pondered this as I watched Tom watch me. I shifted my weight uncomfortably on the bed. The knife pricked me.

"Yes, Tom." The knife continued to prick me. "I do"

* * *

"What is _he_ doing here?" Felicity fumed as she saw Simon brought onto the isle of Aeaea.

"Doesn't Absyrtus tell you _anything_?" Medea scowled. "Abby! Come here!"

"No, forget it. I'll just go home." She didn't feel much like dealing with the fog today, even if she did want to find out about Simon. Afterwards, she always felt like she was trying to shake off a hangover…and everything that had seemed so clear to her before, all of the reasoning behind her actions, would be lost in that one bit of fog that never quite went away…

* * *

_Tom cares about me, _I thought as he closed my door behind him. _Who knew? _

Everyone seemed to have changed a little, but not always for the better…The note. I had to read the note. I stood so that I would be able to retrieve the note.

The lamp no longer had a steady flame. The oil must have been running out.

Did I really want to see what was in it? _No, But I'm going to open it anyway._

I sat to read the note by the flickering lamplight.

_Gemma,_

_A while after I left you, I met a rather…aggressive girl. Truth be told, she found me. And she took me to the realms. That's right. The realms. I see now why you had always wanted to take me there. It's a bit late for that now. I also met Simon. Actually, I helped to kidnap him, along with Absyrtus and Medea. Don't worry; he'll be safe…for now. Don't you want to come and rescue your boyfriend? He only has so much time left. Remember, the clock is ticking. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick…_

_ Kartik_

This was bad. This was very bad. Simon was…in the realms with Kartik, Felicity and Absyrtus and Medea…whoever they were. They had kidnapped him. They couldn't have any of the magic…could they? If they did, what did that mean for me?

I held my head in my hands, extremely frustrated by the situation. Hopelessness was threatening to overcome me.

_What was I supposed to do now? Go into the realms and say "Hey! You! Give me my fiancé back!"? I wouldn't even know what I was walking into!_

Maybe that was it. I'd be walking into a trap. Simon hadn't been kidnapped! This note had simply been sent to lure me into the realms. Kartik though that I would rush off into the realms without a second thought, but that wasn't happening today. I wasn't going to fall this trap.

Perfectly pleased with myself, I undressed and went to bed.

* * *

Felicity summoned the door of darkness to take her home. She could do with a bit of sleep. Maybe it would clear her head. She opened the door and stepped through.

When she looked around, she blinked twice to make sure that she was really seeing what she was seeing. She was not home, but in…Hyde Park? She was shocked because she had been so focused in going home that there was no possible way that the door could have taken her anywhere else. But there she was, in Hyde Park.

The door was summoned once more to take her home, but once again, she was not at home. She recognized the street as on of those not far from her own. She summoned the door once more and…nothing. There was nothing there. There was no door. The door had not come.

She tried again, with the same result, and grimaced when she felt raindrops start to fall. She stood looking into the darkness in disbelief, then glowering into it with anger. The magic had failed her, and someone was going to have to explain why. More than likely, she was going to want to hit that person, which would not be good if they could use magic and she couldn't.

She thought about it for a second, and decided that she didn't really care at the moment. The magic was gone, and that was all that mattered.

She looked up when I began to rain harder. Sighing, she began the long trudge home.

* * *

Thunder boomed. Lightning struck. The door slammed open. Maybe all three. All that I knew was that the noise had woken me. I opened my eyes and saw that it was pitch black outside. It must have been past midnight. The lamp was still flickering. Rain was falling heavily outside. A figure suddenly loomed over me. Before I had even taken in enough breath to scream, I realized that it was grandmama and relaxed.

"Lord and Lady Denby are downstairs in the parlor. They wish to speak with you immediately." My mind immediately assumed that this was some kind of cruel joke, and so I closed my eyes, only to feel grandmama shaking me.

"They wish to speak with you _now_." She was most insistent that I get up and she would not allow me any time to change. She only brought me one of Tom's robes to throw on over my nightgown.

I groggily made my way downstairs, my mind still trying to work out why they could possibly be here in the middle of the night.

"Good night Lord and Lady Denby." I entered the parlor. As I was still half asleep, I sat without waiting for a greeting. I looked sleepily at them, and I could see that they looked worried. Outside, the storm continued.

"Good night, Gemma." This came from Lady Denby. "Has Simon told you of any plans that he had for yesterday and tonight?"

Was this why they had come to my home in the middle of the night? Surely this could not be so important.

"We haven't seen him since he went to bed on the night after you bought your engagement ring." This caught my attention.

"You haven't? Where could he possibly be?" _The note._ It was real. Kartik's note had been telling the truth. My heart hitched in my chest.

"We were hoping that you could tell us. Do you know where he might be?" The realms. Simon was in the realms. But I couldn't tell them that. But I didn't want to lie to them I had to get to the realms. I had to find Simon.

"Gemma?" Both Lord and Lady Denby were staring at me, awaiting my answer. What was I going to tell them?

"I'm sorry, but I have no idea where on earth Simon could possibly be." Well…he wasn't exactly on earth. I stood, giving Lord and Lady Denby the signal to leave.

They both sighed and hurried out to their carriage.

I went back to my room and lay down, but sleep wouldn't come.

I couldn't just barge into the realms with no idea of what I was going to do, but I couldn't help imagining the worst. _What was happening to Simon?_

There was darkness.

The oil in the lamp had finally run out. Thunder boomed. Lightning struck.

_**Author's Notes: **__9__th__ June, 2008_

**I know, you all hate me for taking so long to update, and I apologize for that, but I really love this chapter! Have no worries, school is nearly over for ma and then I should be cranking them out a bit faster!!**

**Very large telepathic cookies go to all those who reviewed!!**

**Come on people, leave me a review!! You'll get a cookie!!**


	19. Haven't the foggiest

**Yay! Another chapter!! Enjoy!**

Felicity was glaring at her bedroom door, just as she had been since the beginning of the storm the night before. The magic was gone. They had promised her the magic and now it was gone. Neither Medea nor Absyrtus would be able to explain to her just how this had happened. Obviously she wasn't as important as she'd thought. No one had even mentioned the idea of kidnapping Simon, and they had just brought him onto the isle of Aeaea as if everything was perfectly fine!

She slammed her fist into the wall. Then she laughed. Her head was perfectly clear. Everything was clear. It was really funny: She had spent quite a while trying to rid herself of the fog, and now it was gone. _It must have left with the magic, _she thought. Either that or it had fled from her fury.

She wished that Absyrtus was there so she could slap the grin off of his forever smiling face. She paused and looked around to glare at other parts of her room. Someone must have been listening to her, for there was the door of darkness, appearing right at the foot of her bed. She glowered at it.

Absyrtus stepped through and dusted himself off. He then looked angrily at Felicity.

"Where have you been? We expected you back hours ago!" Felicity raised an eyebrow. _He _was shouting at _her?_ She stood and walked over to him.

"Well, I would have been there, if not for one little problem," she replied evenly.

He crossed his arms, not backing down. "And what would that be?"

"Last night, the magic left me quite a while away from my house. The magic seems to have abandoned me." She still kept her voice calm.

"What do you mean?" Either he was pretending to be oblivious, or he really didn't know what was going on. She'd be willing to bet that he was lying, but she could never tell for sure.

"Do you need me to be clearer than that?" He really was dense when it came right down to it.

"Since I have no idea what you're talking about, I'd have to say yes."

"I haven't enough magic to light a candle, let alone summon the door of darkness!" Her control _had_ lasted longer than she'd expected. Absyrtus continued to stare at her, seemingly bewildered.

Then, Felicity was suddenly and inexplicably furious at him, possibly because he was the only person in the room. She walked right up to him and started to jab her finger very painfully into his chest.

"It is _gone_. Vanished. And _I _am very, _very_, angry." Though rage was burning her up on the inside, her voice was cold. "I do not enjoy being angry, and _you _will not enjoy me being angry. _We _are going to the realms and _we _are going to fix this. Do we have an understanding?"

Absyrtus' mouth opened and closed repeatedly. He could find nothing to say, he just nodded vigorously. An idea brightened his face.

"Felicity, look at me."

"_Why?_" He started to say something else, but she cut him off. "No. Really, why should I?"

"Let's just go into the realms so that we can get an explanation for your problem." He father's caring voice. She almost listened. Then again, she never did care much for her father. She strode away from him and stood in front of her window.

"_No!_" She wasn't going to be tricked any longer. "I'm not going anywhere with you!" She felt him come up behind her and place a hand on her shoulder.

"I really think that you should come with me, Felicity. I really wish you would" His lack of power over her obviously had him at a loss for words. He tried to guide her to the door of darkness, but she jerked away.

"And I really wish that I had my bow and quiver, so that I could shoot you, but that doesn't seem to be happening, does it?" She whirled around to face him. "I'm _not_ going _anywhere_ with you unless I _get my magic back!_"

Absyrtus looked down at her, grinning like he had just gotten what he wanted.

"Why the bloody hell are smirking at me?!" she snapped. He just grinned wider.

He held her arms and made sure to look her in the eyes when he said: "_I_ am going to the realms and _you_ are coming with me."

He turned around while Felicity stood there, confused. He had been looking at her with such confidence; as if he had expected to dazzle her or something…He must have expected the fog to overcome her, but it couldn't do that if it wasn't there. It didn't seem to work without magic…she could use that to her advantage…

"Felicity," he called impatiently. "I'm waiting." She rolled her eyes before turning to face him. What could be the harm in playing along? Now that she was paying attention, she might learn something useful.

"I'm coming right now. I needed to clear my head." She paused. "It was almost as if all of my thought disappeared in a fog" Absyrtus looked startled.

"Really? Fog? That seems so…odd."

Felicity, halfway through the door of darkness, turned to study him.

"Does it really?" She stepped into the realms. Absyrtus stared after her for a long moment. The wheels in his brain started to turn. Maybe he had been wrong about this girl. Maybe he should tell Medea.

He shrugged and stepped through the door. His sister could take care of herself.

* * *

I really ought to know better than to go rushing off into the realms with no idea of what I was doing, but I had no choice. Kartik was proving to be a bit more…problematic in my life than I had ever anticipated. I paced around my room. What had Simon been thinking to go and get himself kidnapped like that?!

I sighed. It wasn't fair to blame him for this, but I had to blame someone. Preferably someone that I could hit. I _really _wanted to hit someone.

I was tired of the realms disrupting my life! I could have been a normal person and happily married the moment that I got out of Spence. My mother had to be a part of the _Order_ and pass her magic on to me! I never said that I wanted it!

I hated when I could see danger from a mile away and still manage to walk straight into it, which was my exact situation. But, once again, I didn't have a choice, although the idea of leaving Simon in the realms and just gong about my life was getting more and more attractive. It would still turn out badly for me, though. It would mean that I was stuck in the same house as grandmama until someone else asked for my hand in marriage.

Just the thought of staying in the same house as grandmama for any longer than I had to was enough to send a chill down my spine. I didn't think I could wait that long.

The decision was made. I was off to save Simon.

I climbed out of my window and made my way to the stables. I didn't want to stumble into a house full of people searching for me when I returned from the realms. It's possible that I just didn't want them to find me dead in my bed. Neither was a very comforting thought.

The stables brought back fond, and yet unpleasant, memories of Kartik. I couldn't stop them from flooding into my head but, hopefully, I could ignore them for the moment. _A completely pleasant memory would be nice right now, _I thought as I walked into the stables. _Especially seeing as it may be my last._

I found a corner that didn't smell too much like horse and leaned against the wall, breathing in the night air. It had a calming effect. That is, it was calming until I heard someone approaching me. I took a deep breath.

"Whoever you may be, if you've come to kill me, I'll be dead in a matter of hours, so you needn't bother." It all came out in a rush, but I really did not feel like dealing with anyone right now.

"You're going into the realms, aren't you?" My eyes shot open. It was…Ms. Mildmay?

"The realms?" I thought it best that I pretend not to know. After all, I had no idea who she was. But she obviously knew something. But what was that something? "Is that a new clothing store? I must tell grandmama!"

"You know as well as I that the realms are a magical place." I just stared at her. "The place you go through the door of light that you summon." She seemed to think that I needed clarification.

"I haven't the foggiest idea what you're talking about…who _are _you?" I had to know. She hadn't just guessed.

"I was a part of the Order, about when I was your age." My mouth hung open until I came to my senses.

"Everyone in the Order is dead."

"I haven't been there since I was eighteen, around the time I was married. How could they possibly have known about me?"

"Husband? Where is he now?" The story had to make sense at some point in time, at the same time that it would become clear whether it was a lie or the truth.

"Dead. In the same fire that I was supposed to have died in twenty years ago." She stared out into the night. I thought it would be easier this way, just pretending to be dead. No magic to worry about. None of those Rakshana people chasing me. I just buried my old self and started a new life." She saw when I started to speak and stopped me. "Don't ask me who I was, because I won't tell you. I'm trying my hardest to forget."

Under normal circumstances (although, what was _really_ normal for me?), I never would have believed her, but I had no one else to trust.

"I believe you." She nodded and put her hands on her hips.

"Good. Now let's get down to business. Who is this Kartik fellow and why does he have your betrothed - what's his name? - Simon?"

"How did you?...You read the note?" She nodded.

I told her the story is as compact a form as I could get it. At the end, she sighed. I could see that she understood my dilemma.

"Nothing to do but grab the bull by the horns." She looked at me expectantly. "Summon the door. We don't have all night, and I'm a bit out of practice."

I obeyed, happy to have someone to take charge of me, if only for a moment.

_**Author's Notes: **__2__nd__ July, 2008_

**I took forever, I know, and I'm sorry! But aren't you glad you got a new chapter!! A long lost member of the order…can't wait to see what happens next!**

**I do have 2 new reviewers that got telepathic cookies!**

**IcelandGirl812**

**Goddess1408**

**And I forgot from the chapter before! Another new reviewer that got a cookie!!**

**Threadbetween**

**They got cookies! Don't you wish you had one too! Leave a review and I'll send one for you! How, you ask? Telepathically, of course! Just give me a review!**


	20. Sharp Looks

**Aren't you guys glad that I finished another chapter? Here it is!**

The realms. They were always more beautiful than any where in England…and yet, the beauty seemed slightly tainted. Maybe the flowers weren't as bright, or the sky wasn't as blue; I couldn't tell what it was, it was just that slight change that seemed to happen when danger was to come.

The realms themselves changed, little, almost imperceptible changes, like the way that animals behave before a storm. Maybe if I had paid attention to all the little changes before, maybe I wouldn't have walked into danger…but then again, I seemed to attract it.

If I had any sense whatsoever, I would have insisted that we go back, but, as I had proved many times over, I had to go and save Simon, or the world…or something like that. There was always something to prevent me from turning back.

I wished that I had no conscience. Then I could simply go back, pretend to have no knowledge of Simon's whereabouts and feel absolutely no remorse…but I had to go on. One thing was clear. I had to save Simon.

* * *

Felicity made a daisy grow in the ground beside her, and picked it. She could still use the magic in the realms; she just couldn't get in or out of them without assistance. It was the same position she had been in with Gemma, a position she had never wanted to be in. She glanced at Absyrtus and Medea. _At least I was sure that Gemma was my friend_, she thought.

She sighed and listened, plucking the petals off of the daisy.

"When is she coming?"

"Why is she not here yet?"

"Be quiet! Have patience." The authoritative voice had always belonged to Medea. "She will come."

Felicity heard a moan.

"Looks as if Gemma's little boyfriend has woken up," Kartik declared in a falsely cheery voice. "Have a nice nap?" Felicity heard a thud and another moan. Kartik must have kicked him.

"That looks like fun," Absyrtus said. "I think I'll give it try…"

"No." A single word from Medea stopped Absyrtus. Then she bent down and looked at Simon. She smiled. Even through the pain, Simon could see that the smile was not a pleasant one. "He must be awake for the show. I'm sure that Gemma would rather die while he is looking at her…"

She leaned down even further to whisper in his ear. "Perhaps, if you're nice, I can even arrange it so that you both die at the same time" She laughed mirthlessly. Then she paused to whisper in his ear once more. "Don't even bother to run away, for even if you manage to escape from your bonds, which happen to be magic, by the way, Kartik and Absyrtus will never let you go. Do I make myself clear?"

Simon simply glared at Medea. She, in turn, grabbed his face and shook him. "I said," she gave him an extra little shake. _"Do I make myself clear?"_

Felicity decided to step in. She picked another daisy and started to pluck the petals, saying rather loudly: "He loves me. He loves me not. He loves me…Absyrtus, do you love me?"

Medea looked at her sharply, and the let Simon go. She went over to whisper to Kartik who kept glancing at her. Absyrtus gave her a strange look and then sighed.

"Yes, of course I love you, Felicity."

"Good." She looked up at him through her eyelashes. "I love you too." The funny thing is that she had believed it before, that they were in love with each other. Now she knew that he had only been dazzling her, using the fog against her. But he didn't have that power anymore, and, soon enough, Felicity would make sure that he knew it.

"Are you coming Felicity?" Absyrtus called as the others moved off.

"I'm plotting, dear." _Oops,_ she thought.

Absyrtus froze, staring at her.

"What did you say?"

"I said I'm coming, dear. I'm coming right now."

* * *

I heard Ms. Mildmay inhale deeply behind me.

It's been _eighteen years_ since I last smelled that scent. _Eighteen years._" She shut her eyes and then opened them again to look at me.

"Even if you put these exact flowers and trees in your garden, it still wouldn't smell the same. Do you know why?" I shook my head. "The realms have something special. Something you don't smell anywhere else on earth. Do you smell it?"

"No…" I replied. "I don't smell anything different than usual."

"I really didn't notice it until I spent eighteen years without it. _Magic_. I can smell it in the air. It floats around, almost as if someone has just sprayed perfume in the air." She sighed. "I've missed it."

"I hadn't really noticed it, seeing as I always seem to be in imminent danger," I pointed out.

"That's very true, but you still need to take some time to smell the roses." She touched a plant nearby and rosebush, picking one off and sniffing it. "And what better place to do it than where the roses are magic?" she picked another flower and offered it to me. "Rose?"

"Can we smell the roses _after_ we rescue Simon?" I said testily.

"Only if you insist."

"I do." _Well there was a delightful end to our conversation…_

I started walking.

I'm not quite sure what direction I was going in, or what exactly I was walking towards, but I did know that I had to save Simon. And I did know that Ms. Mildmay was beside me.

* * *

After a few minutes of walking, Ms Mildmay stopped me.

"What?"

"Wait." She sniffed the air. "Do you smell it?"

_Oh Goodness! Were we going to have to go through this again?_

"I told you, I don't smell anything!" I snapped at her, but she continued, ignoring my tone.

"The magic…it smells odd…" she sniffed the air once more. " It's almost as if it's…" she searched for a word. "Almost as if it's…tainted…yes! That's it! The magic smells tainted."

"Are you sure?"

She glanced sharply at me. "Yes, I'm sure…and the scent is more potent in that direction."

It was just my luck that the finger she raised pointed at a path I had never been down before. This was more than likely the path where I would find Simon…and meet my death.

I gestured to Ms. Mildmay to follow me. As all sense of decorum had left me by that time, my last words I muttered before trudging down the path were sarcastic.

"Wonderful, just _bloody_ _wonderful."_

* * *

"Absyrtus, dear, would you come here for a moment?" Felicity beckoned to him and he begrudgingly broke off his intent discussion with Medea and Kartik.

"Yes, Felicity?"

"I was just wondering," she said. She was careful to keep up the appearance of a person whose mind was completely engulfed in fog. "What's going to happen to Gemma when she arrives?"

"We are going to teach her a lesson for all the bad things she has done to my aunt." Aunt? Felicity didn't remember anything about an aunt…

"And who exactly _is_ your aunt?"

"Circe. My Aunt Circe." This revelation struck Felicity like a physical blow. It sent her reeling.

"Felicity?! _Felicity?!_ Are you all right?!"

"I…um…your aunt…I never knew…" She stuttered before recovering. "But why?" She stared at him, wide-eyed.

"Why what?"

"Why are you going to punish Gemma?"

"Don't you think Gemma deserves it, after the way that she kept the magic from you?"

"Well…I suppose so…"

"I know so! At least we gave you magic and we made you a part of our group!_ She_ never did _any_ of that for you! _We_ are the _only_ ones that care about you! _We_ are trying to help you!" She could see him starting to turn red. His anger made him appear bigger than he actually was. Felicity leaned back as Absyrtus seemed to loom over her. She furrowed her brows as she wondered what had caused him to snap like.

Absyrtus drew back suddenly and looked around at his sister. She was calling him. "Medea is calling me. I must go."

Felicity sat there as her thoughts traveled around in her head like a raging whirlwind. She answered Absyrtus silently.

_But the magic is gone now and I think that you never meant for me to have it for any long period of time. I was never really a part of the group. The fog made everything into a waking dream, halfway between fantasy and reality. You don't mean any good, you only mean harm._

Felicity was starting to think that after they were finished with Gemma and Simon, she'd be next.

_**Author's Notes: **__1__st__ August, 2008_

**I can't believe it…chapter 20! Never thought I'd make it this far…Aren't you excited? Can't you just feel the end of it drawing near? How do you like this chapter? The tension is rising…and Kartik, Absyrtus and Medea like violence… it kinda sucks for Gemma and Simon, don't you think?**

**Of course, you could always send me a review and tell me what you think about it…And then you'd get a totally awesome telepathic cookie! (If you're lucky…I might send you a slice of chocolate pie with that…chocolate pies are delicious…)**

**Breaking Dawn is coming out tomorrow…whoo hoo! happy dance **

**Excuse me for that little outburst…just send me a review! **


	21. Author's Note

**Author's Note:**

**I have to say, that I know its just horrible that I haven't updated in so long and I'm sorry!! I'm going to stop working on it as soon as possible, but I haven't forgotten about it! I just wanted to let you know! I hope to have both _Forsaken_ and _Figments_ updated soon!**

_**Lilaya**_


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